I Promise
by joyful-x
Summary: After being separated from Kenshin for 11 years, Kaoru reunited with her at Mystic Bookshop Misao's bookshop. But with a few broken promises along the way, could Kaoru believe that Kenshin's love for her is true? Or would she have to disappear from him?
1. Prologue

Summary:  
Kenshin left the orphanage after being adopted by Hiko. Before he left, he swore to a little girl, Kaoru that he would come back for her. However he found her gone when he went back there after eight years. A twist of fate brought them back together, at the Mystic bookshop, which belongs to Misao and Soujiro. Kenshin made another promise to Kaoru. But a grave mistake he did in the past caused complications to arise… Could Kenshin keep his promise? Or was he destined to break it again?

* * *

Part one: A promise broken..

* * *

"Kenshin!" A young girl, roughly about eight years old ran to him.

The fourteen years old Kenshin smiled as he glanced at the girl, noticing that her hands were hidden at the back. "Kaoru-dono, what do you have there?"

"Kenshin, I have something to give you. Close your eyes." Kaoru said, with her dark blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "Come on Kenshin! Close your eyes." Her smile brightened when the boy who was six years her senior did as he was told. "Stretch out your hand." She said, and placed something into his palm. "Now you can open your eyes."

She watched his violet eyes widened before softening. "Thank you Kaoru-dono." He admired the miniature dog that was placed into his hands. "It's really thoughtful of you to get this for me."

"Iie! It's your birthday today. Remember?" Kaoru smiled. She knew that he would love the present.

Kenshin paused for a moment. "What date is it today? Don't tell me it's 20 June?"

Kaoru's laughter filled the air. "Kenshin baka! Today is your birthday. Or you are telling me that you forgotten?"

Kenshin hesitated. He had completely forgotten about it. But then, he was too preoccupied with the upcoming change in his life that he neglected everything else, including Kaoru. "Thank you for remembering. Your birthday will be coming up soon as well right?" He watched her smiled, nodding her head vigorously. "What do you want then?"

He observed that Kaoru looked down at the floor, shifting her weight alternately between her two legs as she tried to voice her thoughts. "Erm… I was thinking next week, perhaps you could take me out to the funfair that will come to town."

Guilt filled Kenshin's heart, a feeling of dread descended upon him. "Kaoru-dono. I don't think I would be able to do it."

Kaoru quickly looked up. "Why?" Kaoru asked softly.

"Because…" Kenshin scratched his head awkwardly. "Kaoru-dono, you are a very nice girl. And you know I like you right?" Kaoru nodded her head, this time slowly, waiting to see what he was going to say next.

"However, I will be going away."

"Where will you be going?" Kaoru cried out as she ran closer to him and looked up, her eyes were filled with tears.

Kenshin lifted up his hand and brushed the tear away. "I am adopted by Hiko Seijurou. I am moving to Tokyo in two days time." He swore that he saw her eyes darkened in fury before bursting out in tears. "Kaoru-dono…"

"BAKA BAKA BAKA!!" Kaoru screamed as she pounded her fist against his stomach. "Baka Kenshin!"

Kenshin stood there, allowing her to hit him and then cry on his shirt as he brought her closer to him and stroke her hair. When she finally quietened down, he said. "I promise that we will keep in contact alright?"

Kaoru shook her head. "I want to follow you! Kenshin, I like you!"

Kenshin laughed. "I like you too Kaoru-dono. But Hiko-san only adopted me."

"Then I want you to adopt me!"

Kenshin stopped laughing, realizing how much Kaoru will miss him. "Ma, ma." Kenshin said softly. "Kaoru-dono. We promised once that we will always be together right?" Kaoru nodded her head. "Then when I grow up, I will come back here to Edo to and bring you to Tokyo."

"Promise?"

"Yes, promise." Kenshin said, sticking out his baby finger.

Kaoru glanced at the finger and broke into a sad smile, grabbing his finger with her own and shook it. "Promise! Kenshin, don't ever break it!"

"I won't" Kenshin returned the sad smile with his own.

Eight years later

Kenshin arrived to the orphanage that he stayed during his first fourteen years of his life, fulfilling his promise he made to a young girl. He stepped into the compound, his flaming red hair neatly tied, wearing a maroon polo t-shirt with white pants.

"Kenshin!" A voice caught his attention. "What brought you back here?"

"Shura-chan." Kenshin turned and smiled at her. "I was searching for Kaoru-dono."

Shura paused for a moment. "You are still so formal with her. She practically regarded you as her elder brother."

"Yes." Was all Kenshin said, waiting for Shura to say the rest.

Shura hesitated. "She left the orphanage."

"Pardon?"

"She was adopted a year after you left. Rest assured that she joined a very nice family Kenshin." Shura added when she saw his face fell.

"Do you have any idea where she went?"

Shura shook her head. "Not at all."

"Thanks." Kenshin said as he walked away.

Shura hesitated for a moment before shouting at the retreating figure, thinking it wouldn't be nice for her to forget what Kenshin had done. "Thank you Kenshin, for donating to the orphanage." But she didn't get any response from him, none at all. For Kenshin was upset that he might never be able to see Kaoru again…

* * *

Hey! This story is linked to 'Read my Lips'. There will be a few events being overlapped here. It would be provided by a different POV of course. So, I hope you would enjoy this story! Take care and God Bless!

Joyful-x


	2. The Reunion

Part one: A promise broken

* * *

"Oh Kaoru." Her colleague said as she sat down beside her desk. "I wish you could meet my fiancé." 

"Tomoe-chan, I would love to." Kaoru said as she looked up from the workbooks she was marking. "But there isn't a chance to meet him. It's either that my schedule clashes with yours, or both of you had a private date that I couldn't possibly join!" Kaoru shook her head. "I refuse to be the light bulb!"

Tomoe laughed as she gently shook her head as she stared at her. "You didn't want to meet him. You make up all sorts of excuses not to join us." She said before becoming solemn. "But Kaoru, as my best friend and my bridesmaid, you have to meet him before the wedding and it's about TWO WEEKS AWAY!" She emphasized the last few words. "It's hilarious that the two most important people in my life don't even know each other. I wonder how you guys managed to do that!"

"I was away for further education for three years remember? I just came back and that was long after you were engaged." Kaoru reminded her as she returned to the student's books. "On top of that, I cannot afford time to meet up with him because I have to catch up with all the things that are happening here! My expertise in the classroom is needed. After all, I am going to see your fiancé sooner or later!" Kaoru paused for a moment. "But you never told me his name before." Kaoru pointed her red pen at her. "Why's that?"

Tomoe smiled. "I want to wait till you meet him before introducing him. But then again, you guys might not need any introduction!" She gave the sly smile that got Kaoru fidgeting on her seat.

"Right." She said as she returned to her books, ignoring her friend. "Okay!" She said when she felt Tomoe studying her and couldn't stand it any longer. "I will go and meet him the next time you ask me to. Promise!"

"Good." Her friend smiled. "So how are your students progressing?"

Kaoru's hand froze as she thought about her students. "Most of them are okay. But some of them are really having problem trying to catch up with the syllabus." Kaoru frowned. She knew that teaching deaf children wasn't easy. But sometimes she felt so frustrated when she wasn't making progress.

"Don't worry Kaoru." Tomoe said. "We are all in this together. Feel free to call us if you need help."

Kaoru nodded. Despite the difficulties she faces at times, it helped that she had supportive colleagues- one of them being her friend- to assist each other through the children education. "Sure. I will always remember that!"

Tomoe smiled. "Good. Now excuse me, I would need to make a move." She got up and moved away.

"With lover boy?" Kaoru teased.

"Yeah!" Tomoe laughed good-naturedly as she waved good bye, leaving Kaoru to do her last minute planning for next week class, to be sent in for approval by seven that day.

* * *

Kaoru walked towards the Mystic Bookshop ten minutes before nine, after finishing what she had to do in school before the weekend. She had in mind a novel that she has every intention to purchase to read. She smiled at the thought of seeing Misao once more. 

It was by pure chance that she stumbled onto this bookshop run by two deaf people. She was surprised that they could make it work. But with Misao's ability to read people lips, it helped a great deal. With Soujiro mending the cashier and Misao taking care of the customers, they did a good job. Kaoru was secretly glad to see despite their inability to hear, they could become pretty successful.

The door rang as she entered the warm cozy bookshop, making her feel at home. From the corner of her eyes, she saw the shy man getting up from his seat behind the cashier and smiled at her.

'Hi Kaoru-chan'

Kaoru returned the smile and signed back

'Hey Soujiro! Where is Misao-chan?'

'She is at the back of the shop, doing some stock keeping.'

'I see. So, how is business?'

Kaoru signed as she stood opposite Soujiro.

'The usual. Although there we managed to get some new customers.'

'One of them is Misao's boyfriend.'

Soujiro gave her a sly smile.

'Boyfriend? Who is it?'

Kaoru smiled

'Shinomori-san.'

Soujiro's eyes twinkled with laughter as he pointed at something behind her. Kaoru turned and barely managed to duck a flying book towards her direction.

'SOUJIRO! HE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND! We just went out for dinner and had some fun.'

The furious Misao signed back.

'Yeah, dinner and fun, at the beach.'

Soujiro teased her.

"SOUJIRO!" Misao let out a shout as she signed his name. Soujiro just shook his head and started laughing silently.

Kaoru was amused by the exchange before she spotted something different regarding Misao.

'Hey, are you having enough sleep?'

'Why ask?'

Misao tilted her head, looking puzzled by her question.

Kaoru closed the gap between the two of them and looked straight into her eyes. "Because your eyes looked tired and there are eye bags manifesting." Kaoru said softly.

Misao gave a nervous laugh as she turned away. "Nothing much. I was just caught up with the latest intake of books.

Kaoru looked at Misao's back profile, speculating the real reason behind the lack of sleep. There was a line drawn between causal friends and best friends. If Misao was Tomoe, she would have hounded her for the reason. But because she only knew Misao less than a month ago, it would be better not to strain the relationship too early.

She turned back to Soujiro and plastered a smile, trying to hide her worry, only to see Soujiro's eyebrow twitched. He signed back solemnly.

'She is losing sleep over Shinomori-san.

But it isn't any of our business unless Misao says otherwise.'

Kaoru couldn't help but stifle a groan.

'Never mind then. I wanted to know,

whether you have the book by

Susan Elizabeth Philips- Ain't she sweet?'

Soujiro frowned.

'I still can't figure out why you gals love romance story.

But if I recall, her new book came in a while ago.

It's at the usual part of the store.

You can go and find it there.'

'Thank you!' Kaoru turned and headed towards her favourite section and started glancing through the various books available. Soon, she was engrossed with the selection of books.

* * *

Kenshin drove through town after sending Tomoe home. He truly enjoyed the company he had with her. But sometimes he wondered whether he was being fair towards Tomoe. Because deep in his heart, there was something that still nagged him till this very day. 

Tomoe was a good friend and a great lady to marry. But he was beginning to doubt whether he was that man to marry her. His thoughts wandered to the past, where he grew up. It was by pure chance that Hiko saw him and adopted him as his own. If it wasn't for Tae, he might end up being a rebel, protecting all the small kids from the bullies in the orphanage, especially Kaoru…

"Kaoru-dono…" He muttered softly as he heard the radio playing Bon Jovi's Always. Feeling damn annoyed with his train of thoughts just after meeting his fiancée, he switched off the radio as he traveled through the quiet street.

He passed by Mystic bookshop and was surprised to see the shop still open. He knew Misao and Soujiro a few weeks ago, when the bookshop just opened. They were fun loving people, despite their disability. With Soujiro's easy smiles and Misao's outgoing character, it was easy for him to hang around the shop for hours and not feel awkward.

Perhaps this was one of the times he needed that feeling. With that, he parked his Mercedes in front of the bookshop and got out of the car. Although he saw the 'close' sign, he was surprised to see Soujiro and Misao sitting at the round table at the end of the shop, visible from the main entrance, with another raven hair lady with her back facing him, communicating with them in sign language.

He waved at the door, trying to catch the attention of Soujiro, who was sitting facing the door. When Soujiro looked up and saw him, he smiled as he signed to them something. Misao jumped out of her seat and rushed towards the door while the visitor strangely stiffened, much to Kenshin's curiosity.

"Kenshin!" Misao greeted him when she opened the door. "Fancy seeing you so late today!"

"I was passing by and saw you guys in the shop." Kenshin replied as he entered the bookshop. His attention was focused on the stranger whose shoulder tensed as he spoke. "Misao-chan, who is the lady there?"

"Oh she is…" Misao said as the lady turned and faced him.

Blood rushed to his head as Misao's words faded away, seeing Kaoru standing and giving him a sad smile. "Kenshin."

"Kaoru-dono…."

* * *

Hey ya! Thanks for reading this chapter… 

For those who are also following the story 'Read my lips'. I'm afraid I can't upload the final chapter because there is a major spoiler. In fact, everyone knows how the story would develop, thanks to that story. But fret not, the ultimate spoiler won't be out. When it's uploaded, it would correspond with this story. So I guessed it's my job to do some catching up!

Take care guys!

Joyful-x


	3. A promise made

Part 1: A Promise Broken…

* * *

Kaoru-dono… His voice echoed through her mind, not knowing what to do next.

Misao looked at the two of them, with puzzlement written all over her face. "You two know each other?"

Kaoru kept quiet, truly lost for words. Fortunately, Kenshin decided to fill in the gap as he told Misao. "Well, we knew each other since childhood but we lost contact."

"Oh sweet!" Misao smiled as she made her way to the table. Kenshin saw Soujiro taking another chair and a cup from the pantry of the shop and placed it on the table. Knowing that it was an invitation to join in the conversation, he settled down next to Kaoru.

Kaoru couldn't help but feel awkward when Kenshin took a place beside her. What the hell was he doing? She wondered as she observed how Kenshin managed to fit in so quickly, speaking slowly while Misao took that time use sign language to allow Soujiro to follow the conversation.

They haven't seen each other for almost fifteen years. She felt strange to be around him again. How much has he changed since the last time she saw him? Despite the years separated, her heart still sped up at the sight of him. He hasn't changed much- the red fiery hair, the gentle smile and the animated voice and those sad eyes. He hasn't aged much. But he is no longer the young teenager that left the orphanage. The long white sleeve shirt and black pants emphasizes the fact that he is now a man.

"So, Kaoru-dono, what are you doing right now?" Kaoru turned her attention to Kenshin. He was the only one who ever called him that. At a young age, he used that address and it doesn't seem to get into his thick skull to be less formal with her.

"I'm teaching hearing impaired students." Kaoru said as she signed her reply for Soujiro's and Misao's benefit.

"Oh…" was all Kenshin said before continuing his conversation with the other two, leaving her in thoughts… mostly regarding Kenshin.

It was close to eleven at night when they left the shop. "We will be okay!" Misao protested as she locked the shop.

Kenshin just shook his head. "No, I insist I will drive the three of you home." He said, leaving Kaoru to translate it.

"But I have been doing this every night!"

"Not at eleven at night!" Kenshin resorted back. "Anyway, I cannot possibly leave you all to walk in the dark walkway!" He opened the back door. "Come on, just do Aoshi a favour and let me bring you home." He said.

'If you don't do it, he will be hurt.' Kaoru signed to the two of them. 'He feels it's his responsibility to ensure that we are safely at home.' She grinned. 'He tends to be extremely pushy!'

The two of them laughed as the nodded their head, deciding it's best to just listen to Kenshin for tonight. Both of them were thinking of giving Kenshin a discount for the next book he buys, as a way of saying thank you.

It was decided that Kaoru was to sit with Kenshin at the front, much to Kaoru's dismay. She tried to worm her way out, only to earn a stare from Misao.

'No, you two haven't met for years!

After dropping us off, it would be much easier to talk to him.'

Kaoru couldn't see the reasoning. How could she? They were quiet throughout the journey. Kenshin first dropped Misao and then Soujiro off before proceeding to Kaoru's place. She treasured that peace for a while, not wanting to think or figure out what to say to him. Sadly, that peace never lasted.

"Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin said as he drove her home. "Can I ask something?"

Kaoru just kept quiet staring outside the window to watch the passing traffic. Nevertheless, Kenshin carried on. "Why didn't you wait for me in the orphanage? I promised you that I would come back for you right?"

Kaoru said nothing, as anger started simmering within her.

"I went back seven years ago and found you were gone." Kenshin said after a long pause between the two of them. "Where have you been? I said I would bring you to Tokyo didn't I?"

"Would you Kenshin, believe for a moment that what I said was true back then? When I was barely even eight years old?" Kaoru faced him with anger started building up in her. "That was just foolish child talk." Kaoru gave him a dirty look. "You were fourteen, about to be adopted by one of the richest man in Japan. You would promise me anything just as long as I don't cling onto you on the day of your departure." She turned back to face the window again. "You didn't even say goodbye." She said so softly that Kenshin almost couldn't hear her.

_He did say goodbye to her. But she was fast asleep, exhausted from the last outing they had together. He brought out a bicycle that was in the orphanage shed and taught little Kaoru how to ride it- as a farewell present. When he went in early in the morning and saw how peaceful she slept, he wanted to walk away and not wake her up. However something caused him to walk until he reached the side of her bed and brushed her fringe away from her forehead._

"_Kenshin." She muttered in her sleep. "Don't go."_

_His fourteen years old heart almost shattered into pieces. How he longed to ask Hiko-san to adopt her as well, so that the two of them would never be separated. But he didn't dare._

_Before he knew what he was doing, he bent down and brushed his lips across his forehead, where his fingers just touched. "Wait for me Kaoru-dono." He said softly as he walked away from the room, leaving Kaoru to sleep on. Not realizing that he just hurt her in the process._

"You were sleeping." Kenshin said softly. "I left early in the morning. But before that, I went in and said goodbye." He continued. "I didn't dare to wake you up. If not you might end up crying when I leave." His eyes stayed on the road as he drove up to the house that Kaoru had spoken, as her home. "I didn't want to see you cry because I would have hurt as well."

Kenshin stopped outside of the house and looked at her. "I didn't want to go as well Kaoru-dono. Don't you know that?"

Kaoru raised her hand and slapped him and even though her hand tingled in pain, he didn't flinch. "Then why did you leave me alone Kenshin?" Kaoru said as she started tearing once more. "I love you so much that I thought my heart would break when I heard that you left without seeing me." She sniffed as she brushed her tears away. "You told me to wait. But when a family came and told me they want me to go and live with them in Tokyo, I thought that I could find you."

"But I never found you till today." She whispered as she lay her hand on the cheek she just struck, tracing the cross scar she saw ever since she knew Kenshin. "I didn't know whether I should be happy or angry to see you."

"For sixteen years, I waited to see you again. But yet I was wondering. "Where is this baka Kenshin! I am going to kill him for making me wait for him for such a long period of time." Kaoru laughed softly. "Then I saw you there, smiling at Misao-chan and then you looked at me with joy in your eyes and words I wanted to say just flew out of the window." She edged closer. "I always love you Kenshin. Ever since I saw you when I first entered the orphanage, I loved you. Fifteen years passed since I last saw you, and I still feel the same."

She couldn't explain why she felt that she could love the adult Kenshin as much as the young Kenshin. But it felt right, to confess her childhood crush. Perhaps when she saw him, she could see the boy she loved grew into the man that she would love if they had stayed together.

She moved until she was staring into his purple eyes. "I thought a lot about you. I used to stare at the star that you pointed out. 'The north star' you said. 'That will always lead you home. It never falters, it never disappear. It will be always be there for you to find your way home.' And I thought. Kenshin is my north star. I see the star and think of you Kenshin. Did you think of me as well? Do you love me the way I do?"

Kenshin raised both hands and gripped her shoulder tight. "Kaoru-dono. Do you know what are you doing?"

Kaoru laughed. "Some might say I am seducing you." Kaoru gave shy smile. "But what I think I am doing is just telling you that I love you. If you tell me that you don't feel the same way as well, I will back off and disappear from your life."

Kenshin gripped her shoulder harder. "Don't you dare disappear from me Kaoru-dono. I love you enough to spend my life with you. I searched for you for seven years wondering whether you were married to a handsome man with children running around the lawn. I thought you forgotten about me." Kenshin said as she felt a shiver ran through him, as though he was afraid what he said might truly happened.

"When I said 'wait for me' I wanted to bring you here. Not some family who wanted to adopt you. I wanted to be the one to save you from the orphanage and bring you to Tokyo to experience life so that you could be with me forever." Kenshin said softly. "I don't want to spend another day without you Kaoru-dono. Does that tell you how much I love you?"

Kaoru just nodded. "Stay with me tonight." She requested.

Kenshin looked at her, with apprehension, as though he was struggling with something. "You don't know what you are asking."

Kaoru just gave him a sly smile as she leaned closer. "If I tell you straight- Kenshin, sleep with me. Will you do it?" Kaoru laughed when she saw confusion and a dash of hope in his eyes. "So will you?"

Kenshin got out of the car abruptly, leaving Kaoru's question unanswered. When she stared fearing that she pushed him to the limits, she heard the door at her side open. "Mind if I escort you into the house Mdm?" Kenshin said playfully even though she saw his eyes turning into a different shade from his usual purple. Smiling that she detected something from him, she got out of the car only to have herself pulled into his embrace and was given a passionate kiss from him.

"I want to. Believe me. But Kaoru-dono, I can't." He said as he pulled himself away. "I shouldn't have come out of the car." He whacked his forehead. "Forgive me Kaoru-dono." He apologized. "But I love you." He reaffirmed his feelings as he stroked her soft raven hair.

"Then why don't you stay with me. Tonight.." Kaoru trailed off, feeling rejected. "Never mind." She said as she turned away. "Good night then." She was however stopped when Kenshin slipped his hand around her waist and drew her near again.

"Not so fast." He growled. "I don't want a one night stand Kaoru-dono. I want to have forever with you." Kenshin hissed in frustration. "Don't you get it? If I do this to you tonight, you might regret it in the morning. You wait till we get married, we will both have forever. I want that, will you?"

Kaoru looked at him shell-shocked. "What you mean married?"

Kenshin shook his head. "I'm getting it all wrong." He said as he took her hands into his and squeezed it. "Promise me that you will wait for me. I will settle some things then I will ask you for your hand of marriage." He tightened his grip. "Promise me?"

Kaoru smiled. "Promise." She said as she leaned towards him. "Sealed with a kiss." She said as she met her lips with his.

It was a leisurely kiss before Kenshin deepened his kiss that sent shivers down her spine before turning away. "I don't think I will be able to remain a saint if I stay here any longer." Kenshin said as he backed away. "Wait for me Kaoru-dono. And this time round, it will be only a few days to a week." He said as he headed towards his car. "Aisheteru Kaoru-dono. Oyasumi!" He blew a kiss at her.

"Oyasumi." She said as she waved goodbye to him as she went into her house. When she heard his car moved away, she muttered a silent prayer, thanking the heavens for giving her back the man she loved.

If she ever told any of her friends that she accepted a marriage proposal from a guy that she hasn't met in fifteen years, they would think she had lost her mind. But she knew it was impossible to explain what she felt in words and she won't bother to try.

Nothing was going to separate her from Kenshin ever again. Till death do us part, she thought. If only she knew the reason behind the saying goes 'never say never'.

* * *

Hey ya! I have updated it again! Three cheers and applause! Keep the review coming in and everyone, please take care!

God Bless!

Ja-ne

Joyful-x


	4. A promise broken I

Part One: A promise broken...

* * *

Kenshin took a deep breath. He didn't want to trouble Aoshi. However, he wanted to talk to someone. Sano and Yahiko are the worst people he could talk to. For now, he just needed someone to just listen. He knocked the door before opening. He almost smiled when he heard Aoshi's curse. "Free?" He asked politely as he entered the office knowing very well that Aoshi wouldn't turn him away… 

Thank God today Aoshi showed no signs of chasing him off. He heard a chuckle and thought that Aoshi was okay until he saw that troubled look on his face. Aoshi always prided himself of being 'unreadable'. However, he was one of the few who could read his mood, expressions and feelings. And this guy was totally in deep crap! "How is Misao-chan?"

He watched Aoshi raised one eyebrow and remarked back. "Fine. She is okay."

"Hung up on your past still? It's obvious, for it's written all over your face!" Kenshin said, ignoring Aoshi's shocked facial expression. "An advice for you. Don't let the past hold you down. It is a heavy burden that need not be carried."

"Since when are you so philosophical?" Aoshi fired back. Oh that was so like him when he was at the defensive mood. He would have laughed if he wasn't so troubled.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Kenshin shook his head and broke eye contact, staring outside of the office. "I met one of my old childhood mates I shared with you last time."

"Kaoru-chan?" Aoshi said.

He nodded, continuing the story. "It is horrible to see how the past comes between a friendship and a relationship." Kenshin said, drifting back to the past once more. "You could learn a lot from the past. But if you are stuck in it and can't move on Aoshi, you not only hurt yourself, but also everyone who is close to you."

"Kenshin…" Aoshi said in a worried tone.

Kenshin's violet eyes met Aoshi's blue ones for a second before he started laughing. "Right and you need to hand in THE report by five today." Kenshin effectively changed the subject. "I shouldn't be disrupting your work." Aoshi wasn't ready to listen to him, especially if he was having his own trouble. He wasn't that cruel to trouble him.

"Kenshin…"

"The report Aoshi, at five! No buts!" Kenshin reinforced as he left the room immediately, before he gave in to his wish and told Aoshi everything. He glanced at his watch. It was about time he met up with Tomoe and friend. He just hoped that everything would go alright.

"For Kaoru-dono's sake as well as mine…"

* * *

Kaoru sat in Tomoe's car, thinking of the exchange she had with Kenshin last night and smiled. She just couldn't believe her luck that Kenshin still loved her. It was definitely unbelievable. 

Both of them lost contact for years and then by a strange twist in fate, they met in the book shop. It was just…

"Hello! Back to earth!" Tomoe said as she parked her car. "I cannot believe that I can finally get the two most important people in my life to meet each other."

"Mmm…" Kaoru absently said as her mind drifted back to the kiss.

"Kaoru! We are here, in the restaurant." Tomoe said as she unlocked her car. "I don't know why he desperately wanted to meet up today. I mean, he just saw me last night…"

"Love is a wonderful thing." Kaoru said softly as she glanced at Tomoe. "When one is in love, one do crazy thing."

Tomoe frowned. "Perhaps. But my instinct tells me that something is wrong." She said soberly.

Kaoru sighed. "Don't tell me you are suffering bride's jitters?"

Tomoe was silent for a moment before laughing. "Don't think so!" She said as she got out of the car. "Come on, it's about time to meet my fiancé."

* * *

Kenshin stirred his cup of coffee and frowned. What if he screwed up this meeting today? What if Tomoe would never want to see him ever again? Even though they were engaged, they were first best friends. He couldn't predict a lady's mind for they can be outright unreasonable. 

"Kenshin-san?"

Kenshin blinked once, trying to put his thoughts back into his secret place. That would be settled later. Now, he had to put up a false front for Tomoe's friend, for her sake. "Hey." He said as he rose, giving her a peck on the cheek while glancing over her shoulder, surprised to see no one. "Where is your friend?" He asked calmly.

"Oh, she saw the shop next door and wanted to buy something, as a 'congrats present'. Or so she says…" Tomoe frowned as she took a seat opposite Kenshin's. "I think she is just nervous to meet you." She placed her handbag on the table and smiled. "So, what's with the sudden urge to see me Kenshin-san?"

Kenshin took in a deep breath. "Tomoe. I will tell you about it another day. It isn't a news I want to break it in front of your friend."

"Nonsense… She has been my friends for years. Kaoru-chan is almost like my sister…" Tomoe carried on, not realizing Kenshin's shocked look. "What you can say to me, can be heard by her as well…"

"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin whispered as he quickly got up. "Tomoe," He raised his voice. "Get her out of here! Just bring her away!"

"But Kenshin, she is my bridesmaid." Tomoe started before being cut off by Kenshin.

"Damn Tomoe! Didn't you realize that you never told me your bridesmaid's name before!" Kenshin cursed vulgarly before he could control his anger. Because of that careless slip, he might not be able to convince Kaoru that he loved her for all these years. She would think he was a liar and a cheater who backed out of their promise years ago….

Kaoru smiled as she entered the café, with Tomoe's wedding gift in her hands. It would be right to get a token to give to Tomoe's and her fiancé. The big present would come later, after the wedding night. She waved as she saw Tomoe standing up at one of the tables. "Tomoe!"

Kaoru watched her friend froze as Tomoe turned around, with a puzzled look on her face.

"Kenshin…." Tomoe started to speak, but nothing registered except that her Kenshin was standing with Tomoe.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru said, with a shaky voice, not wanting to betray her worst fears. "I didn't know that you knew Tomoe…"

"Kaoru.." Tomoe said softly. "This is Kenshin, my fiancé…."

NO! The words flashed through her mind as she looked at Kenshin, her eyes begging him to contradict what Tomoe just said. When she saw sadness and guilt in his eyes, she screamed as she threw the gift on the table and turned.

"Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin immediately shouted and grabbed hold of her hand. "Listen to me…" He said before her fist connected with his cheek, throwing him off balance. He loosen his hold on him, allowing Kaoru to flee from the café, away from him… No! He cannot let her walk out of his life without hearing his explanation.

Her tears started flowing as she pushed opened the door and rushed out on the pathway. Kenshin lied to her! He loved her. So he claimed. How could he love her when he is going to get married to Tomoe! Oh how she hated Tomoe at that point, for forgetting to tell her who her fiancé was…. Fury burned through her as she brushed her tears away. No way was she going to be made a fool by Kenshin again!

"Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin shouted as he chased after her. This isn't happening! He thought as he tried to make his way through the crowded pathway. Kaoru can't walk out of his life again. It would kill him if she disappears again… He finally made it through the crowd, only to see Kaoru making her way across the road. He glanced at the road and to his horror, he saw a car speeding down the road, directly at Kaoru.

"Kaoru-dono, get out of the way!" He yelled as adrenaline rushed through him, allowing him to pick up speed and rushed to Kaoru, pushing her out of harms way, only to blank out soon after.

Kaoru felt someone pushed her as she lost her balance and stumbled into the other lane. Fortunately, there wasn't any car driving on that lane. She was about to turn around when she heard a loud bang and heard gasps from the pathway. She turned, only to find Kenshin lying on the ground, with a stream of blood flowing from his forehead.

"KENSHIN!" She screamed as she rushed to him. "Call the ambulance… please! Anyone call the ambulance!" She shouted at the crowd, as she kneeled down next to him. "Please, Kenshin… don't die! Please!"

* * *

Okay.. the last line is quite clique. And yes, the ending is there.. for now, i would have to plan to see what to do with those two bakas! So please give me your reviews and help me improve my work! Thanks! 

God Bless

Joyful-x


	5. A promise broken II

Kaoru stared at the sleeping man at the bed. The only thoughts that ran through her headwas 'what if he died?' It echoed hollowly in her head as she studied Kenshin, with bandages all wrapped at various part of his body- the head, hand, leg and chest. The fact that he had an accident was because of her.

It's your fault! The cold words blared out at her silently as she laid her head on the bed to sleep, for the third night in the row. She didn't want to go away until she was sure that Kenshin was alright.

Misao's blood donation helped saved Kenshin and in the process destroyed her life. Misao refused to say it out to her. But Kaoru had ears to hear what Shinomori-san said to her when he realized who she was. She remembered when Misao left the room with Takano-sensei, she heard his harsh words, swearing never to see her again. Misao won't admit how much it devastated her, but Kaoru could guess…

After all, Kenshin was engaged when he promised her that they would be together again, for life.

Kaoru smiled cynically as she closed her eyes, remembering the conversation that she had with Misao. Oh yeah, she told her that she was going away as soon as Kenshin gets better. And Misao was mad. Okay, perhaps furious with her. But she didn't know how betrayal could break her heart into millions of pieces and Kaoru had no idea how to piece them back together unless she put the distance between the two of them.

She needed to get away… She thought as she drifted into slumber land.

* * *

Kenshin opened up his eyes slowly, trying to get used to the dim light around him, even though his eyes were screaming, telling him not to will it opened. In the end, he managed to fully open his eyes and looked around him without moving his head.

He felt, rather than saw, Kaoru's presence beside him. He couldn't help but gingerly lift up his hand and placed it next to Kaoru's head, gently stroking her. Would he ever have the chance to say that he loves her? He wasn't sure that after everything that happened at the café. It was a rotten move. Now Tomoe would be furious with him for breaking the engagement as much as Kaoru was towards him.

He carefully angled his head in a way to make sure he could see her and couldn't help but smiled at the sight of seeing her sleeping next to him, peacefully. As if she was taking care of him. That thought caused his heart to twist painfully. He was supposed to take care of her. Not the other way around. He promised her and he broke it… twice.

How could he do it! How could a man who values the word of honour so much be capable to break the promise twice! Perhaps because of love- for when one starts to love, they even promise the moon and the stars- but then, while others try their best to give their love ones the moon and the stars, he on the other hand ended up not even attempting to honour simple promises.

For the starters, why did he have to be engaged to Tomoe?

Weary? Perhaps. He was getting older and he had no idea where Kaoru was. Tomoe was there for him as a friend and he thought that perhaps the two of them could settle down, with a comfortable friendship.

Yeah, comfortable, and see where it gotten him….

He felt Kaoru's muscle tensed before flinching away from him. In an effort to try and keep her beside him, he quickly moved and placed two hands around her. That brought about unbearable pain as his arms were shrugged off by Kaoru. She turned away without a word and fled the room.

When Kaoru was outside, she held back tears that were threatening to overflow. NO! Kaoru thought as she willed herself to stop the tears. A few drops escaped, but she managed to control her emotions. She wasn't going to cry because she was leaving him. After all, he did just that a long time ago without a tear. It is her turn now.

Then why is that thought of leaving him making her want to cry all over again?

With a sigh, he glanced in front of him and saw Misao sitting there, observing the whole scene. He waited till she looked at him when he called out. "Talk to me, please?"

He watched Misao stand up and occupied the seat that Kaoru just left. "You look tired." Kenshin said, observing the black eye rings around her eyes.

"Kaoru needed company. I had to drag her to the bookshop and give her books to read if not.." She trailed off, not wanting to reveal more.

"If not she would cry?" Kenshin said. "Don't look so shock. I heard her cry herself to sleep two nights in a row." He couldn't open his eyes, but he could hear those heartfelt sobs that she cried out each night. As much as he wanted to comfort her, he couldn't move.

He paused for a moment as he studied her- her blue sleeved blouse and jeans with messy hair made her look like she been through hell- making sure she was looking at him. "How are you?"

"Fine."

"Don't lie. Your eyes give you away. You had a quarrel with Aoshi?"

"He hates me."

Kenshin shook his head, wondering where she gotten that idea from. "He cares for you more than anyone I know."

Misao closed her eyes. "I killed his parents." He heard her taking in two deep before opening her eyes.

"He is a fool then. He allows the past to control his future." Kenshin continued, wondering whether how many of the people he loved would end up losing the love they crave for. "Many people make that mistake." He paused. "The question is whether you would commit that same mistake?"

"I don't know Himura-san." Misao said in defeat. "I don't have the courage to face his anger and reason out with him. I have accepted my past which was why I moved back home after fifteen years. But Aoshi…"

Kenshin turned back and stared at him, feeling for the first time in years furious with someone. He knew most likely his eyes would change colour, but he didn't care less. All he wanted was to just scream in frustration. Are people so blinded by their own sad past that they cannot see the pain in others as well?

"You need courage to find your own happiness or you are better off dead." He said harshly. "Aoshi's parents avoided you and lost their lives in the process. Is this how you repay them? By not finding the courage to live? You can always die Misao-chan. It's living that takes real courage." He turned away, trying to calm himself down as his anger was threatening to take over him.

When he finally regained control, he looked at Misao who was still in a world of her own. He was pretty sure that despite Aoshi's words, he knew that he still loved the lady in front of him. He shook his head in disbelief. How could he be so harsh on her? It wasn't her fault that his life isn't in a mess. And he had no right to vent his frustration on her. She looked back at him, he apologized. "I'm sorry"

"It's okay." Misao replied. "You just stated the fact. And I am a survivor. I should have more guts to let this type of things weigh me down." He watched her got up. "I need to go and figure myself out."

"Wait!" Kenshin raised his hands. "Give me a paper and pen please?"

When she did as he asked, he scribbled down a note to Aoshi's personal secretary, telling her to allow her access to Aoshi's office. "Thank you, Himura-san"

"Wait for a week from now." Kenshin said. "Think of what I said and act accordingly."

Misao gave a heartfelt smile. "Thank you." She said as she left the room, leaving Kenshin alone, with bitter thoughts whether Kaoru would ever forgive him, ever.

* * *

"Hey?"

Kenshin heard a voice calling from the door and he turned his attention towards it, surprised to see Tomoe around. "Hey back!"

He watched Tomoe's cautious smile as she headed towards him. "How you feeling?"

Kenshin smiled. "I'm feeling okay, but all ready to get out and about."

Tomoe laughed. "Isn't it so typical of you? You can't sit still. The doctor says you have to stay for another two days before you can be discharged."

Kenshin frowned. "Darn!" He sulked, causing Tomoe to laugh again. When the moment passed, Kenshin glanced at Tomoe. "Hey, about…"

"Yeah?" She said. "You want to talk about our engagement right?" Tomoe looked at him, with sadness in her eyes. "Will we still be friends if we break it?"

Kenshin looked at her, surprised at what she said. "Why not? But, you are willing to break the engagement?"

He endured a long silence from her before she replied. "It's plain to see you love Kaoru a lot. Isn't she the one you shared with me once, the girl you left at the orphanage?"

"You remembered?" Kenshin looked at her in amazement. "But I mentioned that when I was sixteen. You couldn't have remembered."

"Actually, it was seventeen." She said. "I remembered. And if she was the one who you left behind, I think I wouldn't want to be the one that would stand in your way." Tomoe gave him a look. "After all, I can't expect to get married to someone who love someone more than me right?"

"But Tomoe…" Kenshin said, only to be cut off by Tomoe.

"Don't worry! I am fine, as long as we are still friends." She stretched out her hand. "Friends?"

Kenshin looked at her hand and at her face, searching for a sign that Tomoe was indeed serious. With the sparkle in her eyes and the small smile on her face, she was back being an old friend he knew since young. "Deal." He reached out and took a firm hold of her hand. "Thank you."

"No problem!" She said as she leaned back. "Now, let me update you what was happening around the world when you were here sleeping, without a care in the world…"

"Yes Mdm!" Kenshin said with a relieved smile. Tomoe actually agreed to break the engagement. Now, when he gets out of the hospital he would find Kaoru and perhaps crawl on all fours to accept him back…

* * *

However, Kenshin didn't know that when he was discharged, Kaoru would have left town without a single note for anyone, not for Misao, or even Tomoe.

If they thought harder, they might have known her whereabouts, from someone close. But they didn't.

Even so, Kenshin announced that he and Tomoe were no longer engaged. It caused rumour mill to start rolling but Kenshin couldn't care. After all, he lost Kaoru once again… perhaps this time, for good.

* * *

Hey.. sorry for the long long long update.. I kinda got caught up with school work and stuff. The first arc of this story is over... Now let me brainstorm how exactly i wanted to continue this story.. But don't worry, it isn't the end.. not yet. so until then

Ja-ne

Joyful-x


	6. The long awaited return

It has been two years. It has been so long. And yet, I could still remember how my heart broke when you shrugged my arms away. How you turned your back at me and fled out of the room. It had been so long since I last heard from you. No one knows where you were. And I am going nuts.

Do you understand? Can you hear my cries Kaoru? Or has your heart hardened so much against me that you can no longer hear my pleas.

I could say sorry a thousand times over and yet it will not remove the pain that I have caused you.

Let me tell you, I love you more than anything. And I will wait till you come back. If I have to wait forever, I will. But please, forgive me and come back. I am not sure whether I can go on like this anymore.

Kenshin looked at the letter that he wrote and sighed. He folded the paper and slipped it into the envelope. His hands hovered over it, wondering what to write, where to write. And then he set his pen down and pulled the study table drawer.

In it contained many more such envelopes that were bundled up in a rubber band. He took the uppermost bundle and took off the rubber band, placed the new envelope in the pile, bundled it up again and put it in the drawer.

When he closed the drawer, Kenshin rose from his seat and glanced at the clock. It was four in the morning and sleep still eluded him. It has been like this for two years, so much so that he gotten used to it. Aoshi had made him go and see a psychiatrist and was prescribed with sleeping pills.

But he never used it. He despised pills. He thought as he switched off the light and slipped into bed. After all, it was his fault that he felt this way. If he treated Kaoru with more care, she wouldn't have run away from him.

And it was because of this thought that prevented him from eating the pills. If he did, he might accidentally overdose himself with it and never wake up.

He didn't want that. He wanted to wait and be ready for the day that Kaoru comes back. If she comes back at all.

* * *

It's a day of joy in Aoiya loft. After all, it wasn't often they had two babies in the family. On that very day, Aoshi and Misao are proud parents of Sakura and Haruhi Shinomori. Yes, twins. And it certainly called for a celebration.

Then why isn't he glad? Kenshin sighed as he left the room that his sister in law was occupying for the next few days to recover from the deliver. He walked along the long lonely corridor of the hospital. The girls are beautiful- despite the fact being very small and noisy. The next generation of the family has been born.

Perhaps he was envious of his brother- when he watched Aoshi and Misao exchanged words and touches throughout the entire time he was with them, so much so that he felt like a light bulb.

He thought of the times when he could had all that… and he felt utterly depressed.

It is going to be a long night… He thought as he heard the clock chimed twelve times. He sat at the seats of the waiting room and closed his eyes. He doesn't want to go back to the empty house haunted by his own demons.

The hospital should be safe enough. He thought as he drifted off to sleep.

It was three in the morning as she walked quietly into the hospital. After receiving the phone call from Misao twenty four hours ago, she couldn't resist the temptation to pay a visit to her friend, and to see the new addition into her family. She just reached the airport less than an hour ago. But felt it was a good time to visit Misao.

After all, she is less likely to run into any of the extended family members.

When she found the room, she knocked the door before slowly opening it. Among the endless bouquets of flowers- most probably congratulation greetings from Misao's husband business partners- laid a very proud but tired mom of two daughters.

Kaoru smiled as she edged closer to the bed and saw that Misao was watching her.

'Hey… new mama, how are you feeling now?'

'Tired but good. It took you two new born babies to pull you from Taiwan to come back home. If I knew earlier, I would have made Aoshi worked harder to impregnate me so that you would have come back sooner!'

The two ladies grinned at each other as they observed each other. Even though Misao had to brave through 15 hours of labour, she looked happy and blessed. Apparently pregnancy didn't take a toll on her looks and beauty. Because to Kaoru, she still looked the same- youngish features with her long braided hair, with blue eyes as sharp as ever.

Those blue eyes managed to pick out exhaustion and to some extent sadness and a lot more anger in Kaoru's eyes. Other than that, nothing much has changed two years since she suddenly left Tokyo. A year passed before Kaoru sent a letter to Misao, making her swear not to tell any of the brothers- a promise that Misao kept.

'Does Kenshin know that you are back?' Misao signed to Kaoru.

Kaoru shook her head. 'There is no need to.'

'He missed you. He saw the psychiatrist months after you left.'

Kaoru looked down on the floor for a while before looking up with a sad smile. 'How is he now? Is he married?'

Misao sighed. She never told Kaoru that he cancelled the wedding through the letter because she wanted her to know about it when she comes back to Tokyo.

'Nope. He broke off the engagement as soon as he found you.'

She first watched surprised quickly followed by pleasure, and the anger flashed Kaoru's eyes.

'He has no right to do that!'

'You had no right to leave him without a word!' Misao furiously signed back before letting out a sigh. 'I won't tell him that you came back. But I hope, after realising what he broke his engagement with Tomoe for you, you would try to make the relationship work.'

Kaoru's right eyebrow twitched before smirking. 'I trust that you hold on to the promise.' She said before turning her back and walked away.

"Don't think running solves everything!" Misao spoke out for the first time.

Kaoru stopped at her track but didn't turn back. "But not everyone can stop running." She said softly before walking out of the room, leaving Misao alone, wondering whether she provoked Kaoru enough.

Misao leaned back on her bed and sighed. Loggerheads. Couldn't she see that she is the only one suffering?

Kaoru closed the door behind her and sighed. Feelings of sadness, abandonment and frustration flooded her immediately. The emotions were so strong that she did not have the strength to hold it back. She slowly headed to the seat that was outside of Misao's room as her vision blurred. As she leaned her head against the wall, tears started pouring out.

The fact that Kenshin proposed and made empty promises before breaking his engagement with Tomoe was an act of betrayal in her eyes. She felt used, and stained, dirty to think that she was playing a role of a third party that was going to destroy a marriage. It was a pity that Tomoe didn't break the engagement before Kenshin did.

It would then serve him right for trying to two time girls.

She took in a deep breath and tried to stop the tears. Memories after memories assaulted her, causing her to cry more.

Her thoughts were back at the accident- where Kenshin was knocked down. It was good for him to move her out of the way. After all, she was the victim. It was great that Kenshin was hurt…

STOP! Her mind screamed as she snapped out of her thoughts. She opened her eyes and brushed the tears away. That was a mean thing to think about, Kenshin or anyone for that matter to be hurt.

But she had nursed the hurt, anger and pain far too long to let it go. A part of her was sad when she heard that Kenshin had to seek professional help. But there was another side that was glad that he went through the same thing that she had to go through.

Serve him right. She thought once more as she counted slowly to ten before getting up from the chair. Now, she has to go and find a hotel to stay. And then get a ticket back to Taiwan, where she can continue her life…

And torture Kenshin further.

That thought made her smile as she walked outside to the waiting room. She has a life, many potential dates back waiting for her. The children needed her back. No one needed her in Tokyo.

No one….

She paused at the pathway, uncomfortable that she suddenly felt sad. Japan was her mother country. Why did she have to run to Taiwan to escape from her demons?

"Damn you Kenshin." She muttered softly.

"I have been damned a thousand times." A voice came from her left, causing her to snap her head towards that direction. She saw a man dressed in sweat shirt and jeans, with his orange hair neatly tied into a ponytail. His violet orbs studied her warily as he slowly got up. He was thinner with more worries burdened on his shoulder compared to two years ago.

She swallowed slowly before smiling at him. She tried to ignore the statement that he made in reply to hers. "Hey, Himura-san, how are you?"

"Tired… Are you real? Kaoru-dono?"

She closed her eyes, trying to stop her tears from coming out once more. The way he said her name made her feel so loved, as though they were back two years ago, without any trauma and scars from life.

"Real, alive and kicking Kenshin." She said, dropping all formality and politeness. "I wish I didn't have to see or meet you. I hate you!" She said before walking away, leaving Kenshin standing alone.

Kenshin stared at the retreating figure and closed his eyes as he slumped back into the seat. You are right to hate me Kaoru-dono… but I hate myself more.

* * *

Man, I am going to hate the way I am going to make Kenshin and Kaoru as the story progresses. But after disappearing from life for about a year, I decided that I should finish this story with a bang before deciding to stop publishing stories so don't fret. I will finish this before leaving you guys hanging in thin air. 

Until then, take care, God bless

Joyful-x


	7. The Arrival

Hi guys! I'm so sorry to keep you guys waiting, despite the promise that i would try to complete this story as fast as possible. But i had writer's block and when i'm finally freed, i have no time to write them out. So hence the wait.

The next two chapter would be written from Kaoru's and Kenshin's prespective respectively. I know the change of writing style isn't good for any story. But i'm in a 'trying' phrase. So please bear with me for the time being. I would try to make sure that it is consistant throughout from this chapter onwards.

So hope you enjoy this chapter and give me comments/reviews about it.. :) Looking forward to hear from you guys.  
Until then, God Bless  
Joyful-x

* * *

Kaoru smiled as she watched her last student exit the classroom before heading back to the desk and sat down. It was a joy to teach them. She thought as she rearranged her books and stacked them up neatly in a pile. Despite their hearing disability, it was rewarding to watch them absorb everything she was teaching them. And she was glad that they were willing to overcome the odds of their disability to learn like normal children.

Perhaps that was why she rather taught them than the able-bodied children. She rose and headed to the window to glance at the school garden that was outside her classroom. The sense of satisfaction totally outweigh the time and effort she took to learn sign language and find out effective ways of making lessons interesting for this special students.

She heard a knock and she turned, thinking it was a student who had left something behind, only to see a tall, intimidating man standing at the doorway. His tall frame effectively filled the entire entrance and his watchful eyes were studying her extremely closely.

Kaoru gave him a smile. She had seen him before. The tough part was trying to remember where. "Yes, how can I help you?"

"Kaoru-chan?" His voice was deep, and somewhat chilly. She thought as she nodded.

He stepped into the classroom and looked around before refocusing his attention back to her. "I'm Aoshi Shinimori."

Aoshi saw recognition dawned in her eyes before she tensed up. After much effort, he finally made it to Taiwan to find the elusive Kaoru, and he was determined to do some meddling on his own.

She was pretty though. The picture of her that Kenshin has was a small girl in a purple kimono with a ponytail, eyes filled with love, adoration and trust. The lady in front of him now was dressed in a black sleeveless dress that reached her knee, hair let down and was ready to bolt.

"I won't drag you back to Japan if that is what you are worried about. Kenshin doesn't know that I am here. He assumed that I am here for business." He shrugged as he leaned against the wall. He was watching her still, and noted that relief in her face, and how her shoulders relaxed. "However, Misao told me that she wish that you would turn up for our babies' shower party this weekend. It will be in Tokyo and Misao really hope that you will turn up."

Kaoru gave him a sad smile. "Sorry Aoshi. I have school on Saturday and I can't make a trip to Tokyo. I cannot afford to fly there twice within a month."

She saw his eyes hardened and his mouth formed a thin line. "Kaoru, don't tempt me to call you names. I spoke to the school principal. The school holiday is starting this Saturday and you have a week off."

"I already had something planned."

"You don't want to come to Tokyo is it?"

His voice went one notch softer. It effectively chilled the room, causing Kaoru to squirm a little. "It is not that. I cannot afford it."

"Fine, we will pay for your airfare then and the stay in the hotel is on us."

"NO!" Kaoru said vehemently. "I am not going to Tokyo. PERIOD!"

Aoshi's left eyebrow twitched. "You will. And I will tell you why. Kenshin hasn't been the same since you left. He blamed himself for abandoning you in the orphanage, and for not waiting for you longer before being engaged to Tomoe. He also blamed himself for giving you empty promises and let you down. He hasn't been eating well nor sleeping well and needed to see the psychiatrist in order not to slip into depression. When you came back to Tokyo a month ago, you caused Kenshin to get more depressed. Everyone in the family is worried sick!"

Kaoru turned and slammed her hands down at the nearest table. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO DO!"

"Get back to Tokyo and bring this issue to a close." Aoshi said as he pushed himself off the wall and walked towards Kaoru until he was five steps away from her. Kaoru had to tilt her head up before she could meet him eye to eye. "Convince him that you don't love him anymore and let him move on. By disappearing from the face of the earth, you are leaving things hanging."

He sighed as he shook his head. "You either come back to Tokyo to celebrate us a joyous occasion, or I will tell Kenshin where to find you and you will be unprepared for any confrontation." He said before deciding that he had said enough and headed out of the room.

Kaoru watched as he walked out of the room, willing himself to relax. However when he stopped half way across the room, she tensed up once more. "Kaoru-chan, I hope you have the guts to just end this chapter because you are not the only one suffering." He said before exiting the room, leaving her in her thoughts.

* * *

What am I doing? Kaoru asked herself as she alighted from the taxi and stood in front of the mansion that Misao and Aoshi stayed together. It reminded her of a palace. A tall iron gate served as a barrier that divided the outside world and the Shinimori's house. There was a long driveway that led to a white house that stood tall and proud in the midst of greenery and bright colourful flowers.

There was no point of her being here. She does not need to actually listen to Aoshi to bring her life in Tokyo to a close. In fact, she had nothing to prove to any of them. She does not need to tell them that she is happy in Taiwan- that she is living a better life there, and that she no longer love Kenshin.

Liar! Her words echoed through her mind. She loves Kenshin still, despite all the things he had done. The memory of Kenshin when she was young is still stuck in her mind till this very day. And no matter how ugly things were two years ago, it pale in comparison with the Kenshin from the past.

Some might say she was a coward, not wanting to face cold truth reality that perhaps Kenshin has changed. But she was definitely selfish enough to ignore everyone's thoughts and opinions and continue to run in order to preserve her childhood Kenshin. She doesn't want anyone or anything to taint it any further.

Kaoru was tempted to turn her back against the house and hailed the taxi to get her back to the airport and to Taiwan. But before she could take a first step, a middle age man stepped out from the guardhouse. "Good afternoon, may I have your name?"

Kaoru paused, then sighed. "Kamiya Kaoru." She said.

The guard nodded and smiled. "Misao-chan is expecting you." He said as he opened the side gate to let Kaoru in and took her luggage, silencing Kaoru's protest with a glance before starting to chat. "She has very beautiful twins. My wife had 3 children and she would throw me out of the house if I said this but none of them are as pretty as the two that Misao had." The guard smiled. "It is amazing how Misao-chan could handle two new born babies, her shop and being Mrs Shinimori."

"Is she well?" Kaoru asked, realizing how much responsibility Misao had shouldered herself with. "Is anyone helping her in the shop?"

The guard shrugged. "I guess so. I have seen her resting in the house during the last trimester of her pregnancy until now. But she occasionally pop by the shop. I suspect that Shinimori-san has curbed the amount of time she spent in the shop."

Kaoru smiled. If that is the case, Soujiro should still be there helping Misao. And she was glad because no matter what, no pregnant lady or a new mother should work. That is why there is such thing called maternity leave.

Kaoru soon arrived at the main entrance and gained insight of what sort of family Shinimori is- a happy family, a kind employer and modest individuals, despite having the wealth as one of the top 10 richest families in Japan.

"Hope you enjoy yourself." The guard said as the door opened, revealing a tall guy with spiky hair. "Good afternoon, Sano-san. This is Kayima Kaoru." He informed the guy in the house.

"Good afternoon Hikaru-san." The deep voice replied back as Kaoru stepped into the house together with Hikaru and stared at the interior of the house. It gave a warm feeling with the brown tiled floor and the yellow wallpaper with small flower patterns that lined the walls. In the middle of the hall stood a stairway that had wooden banisters and in the middle, it split into two different stairways that led up to the second floor.

She was so engrossed studying the house that she didn't know that Hikaru was leaving until he said very softly. "Good day, Kaoru-dono."

Kaoru-dono… It sounded so Kenshin just now. She thought, turning around in order to ask the guard why he said that. The only thing that met her eyes was the closed doors. Sighing, she turned back and caught the tall man staring at him.

She did not know whether he was a guest, a hired man or someone who is related to Misao. All Kaoru could do was to smile at him. "Hi, I'm Kaoru."

The man smirked at her, causing Kaoru to lose her smile. She did not know what warrant such a greeting. However she was not intending to get away with it. "It would be nice of you to show me my room."

Only his eyes moved as he gave her a scrutinizing stare at caused Kaoru's good mood to fly out of the window. Annoyed, she made a move to pick up her luggage, only to be beaten by the man. With a causal grace, he picked it up and headed towards the stairs.

Kaoru noticed that he did not even glance back once, to ensure that she was following him. It made her quite annoyed and she stopped walking. It would deflate his ego when he realized that she was not following him.

Five seconds later, he stopped walking. "I wouldn't want to get lost if I were you." He said before making a move again.

Kaoru could only growl in reply before catching up with him. It seems as though that he widened his stride. It was an effort to keep up with him. Every step he took requires her to take two steps to match his pace. By the time they reached her room, Kaoru was quite annoyed. But she kept her temper in check. "Thank you."

He put down her luggage. "I'm Sagara Sanosuke," The man spoke. "the third person to join the family." He faced Kaoru and stared down at her. "I have no idea why Aoshi decided to convince you to come. I believe that Kenshin would be better off without you. However, since you are Misao's guest, I would not resort to rudeness to convince you to go back where you came from. But if you do anything to upset Kenshin, you would answer to me." He said before he turned away and gave her an absent minded wave, as though he was waving her off.

Not resort to rudeness? Kaoru rolled her eyes as she turned the door knob. That man has manners of a boar. It was a warning, the second one from two of Kenshin's brothers. If they were so weary of her, why could they not just leave her alone? Instead, one of them traveled all the way to Taiwan, while another did what a good host would never do- threaten their guest.

But the room was gorgeous. She thought as the door opened, revealing a beige carpeted room with wall whitewashed. There was a painting of an orchard hung above a dressing table. Next to it was a bed, which was covered by a light brown comforter.

It was simple and nice, which reminded her of her room in the orphanage. But this one gave her much more privacy than her childhood bedroom. She thought as she wandered to the window that had matching beige as the floor carpet. It was as though the room was made for her. She smiled at that foolish thought. Perhaps Misao has the same taste as her, which explains how such a room could exist in this huge house.

She looked out of the window which happens to overlook the pool. She saw no one familiar in the pool except for Misao who Aoshi who were at the edge of the pool talking to each other. She scanned across the edge of the pool and found what she was unconsciously looking for.

Kenshin was there, sitting on the beach chair, sheltered by the beach umbrella, with a glass on the table next to him. Kaoru studied him again, this time in the daylight and it reaffirmed what she saw the night they met at the hospital. Thinner, tired and definitely worn out. A stir of sympathy rose in her, only to ruthless squash it. That's too bad. She thought.

Suddenly Kenshin looked up and they made eye contacts. Purple orbs with blue ones. Million of thoughts flew in Kaoru's mind as her mind screamed at her to turn away. At the end, Kenshin broke the stare. He took his glass and got up and headed into the main house.

Kaoru stepped away from the window. He knows that she is here. She hoped that he would not make his way up to the room. She was not prepared. The armour that she wore each time she meets him is not in place yet.

Don't come yet. Please. Give me time and space.

For the whole afternoon, no one disturbed her. Her prayers were answered. But she didn't know whether to be relieve or sad.


	8. Deal or no deal

Thanks for the reviews, special thanks to Alwyze, for commenting, along with Animebdoll and envoiusDangelM. Currently filling my head with Hyde's music, no thanks to the blood+ OP2 that got me hooked to his songs...

Sorry, digressing. So here is the next chapter. And no promises i will upload future chapters at this rate.. ;)

Take care then, and God Bless  
Joyful-x

* * *

Kenshin sunk into the softness of the couch at the study room and closed his eyes. It was suppose to be a quiet week together with the family for a celebration- his nieces' full moon celebration. 

Was he so oblivious to the planning that he did not notice Kaoru's name among the guest list? Or was he too preoccupied with another name that he completely forgotten about her?

It wouldn't be the first time though. He thought as he closed his eyes, trying to block the temptation to rise and head to the brandy bottle at the table across the room to have a glass or two.

Or perhaps he would only stop when it was enough to let him escape from reality.

"Yoz!"

A voice interrupted his thoughts. Kenshin was too lazy to open his eyes. But he recognized the voice. "Yeah?" He asked as he felt Sano sitting down on the couch not too gently.

"You want a drink?"

Kenshin shook his head. He waited for Sano to rise. But when he didn't, Kenshin opened his eyes and glanced at him. "What is it?"

Sano hesitated for a while. What was he to say? Was it right for him to tell Kenshin what he thought of the lady two floors above the study room? Perhaps the impression that he gotten from the lady was not an accurate one. After all, he was bias against her. "Do you know that Kaoru has arrived?"

That was enough to make Kenshin tense up all over again. He didn't want to be reminded by that. It would mean having to face it.

The meeting at the hospital had aggravated the insomnia that plagued him. It gave him sleepless nights. And when he finally managed to do so, her words haunted his dreams, turning them to a nightmare.

Now it seems as though a nightmare has turn into reality.

"Yeah. I saw her at the window."

"So?"

Kenshin just shrugged. "So."

He said it so matter a fact that Sano could just sigh. "You know Kenshin. The problem with you is that you are easily drawn in to people's emotion. If this goes on, it isn't healthy for you- emotionally."

"I know."

Sano shook his head and just leaned back against the sofa, thinking that there is no use talking sense to him. The only one that could was currently trying to change one of the twin's diapers.

Silence lapsed around them once more. Kenshin was more than contented with it. He knew Sano meant well. He was the brother who uses words and nagging to actually show that he cared. But in times like this, the quiet companionship with Sano spoke more to Kenshin

They heard a knock at the door and before either could answer, the door opened. They saw the spiky hair before seeing the youngest among the lot popping his head in. "Can I come in?"

"You already had your head in. I doubt it would make much difference saying no."

The boy, who is struggling to find a balance between youth and adulthood, allowed the child in him to dominate by sticking his tongue out. "Shut up Sano."

"Ma ma! You can come in Yahiko." Kenshin said, with a light teasing tone. He knew once the both of them start, they would never stop arguing. However he was not bothered by it. Perhaps he understood while he and Sano were able to enjoy each others' presence in silence, Sano and Yahiko on the other hand needed to bicker in order to appreciate each other better.

Apparently this time round, Yahiko listened to Kenshin and sat down next to him, away from Sano. "So, what are you going to do?"

Kenshin sighed. Now he knew why the younger man backed away from the argument so easily- because he had bigger fish to fry. "About what?"

Yahiko shrugged as he leaned against the sofa and gestured with his hand. "You know… Her."

"She is a guest and that's it."

"But we all know it is a great time to do what that shrink said."

"Yahiko!" Sano interrupted the conversation with a glare aimed at Yahiko.

"What? It's true!"

"I think he should just ignore her and forget whatever the shrink said. He doesn't know what is Kenshin like."

"Oh, so now you feel that you qualify to be a shrink. Let's see your papers doctor!"

"And you think you are so smart eh? You want to fight?"

Kenshin shook his head. How could he have forgotten that with any quarrel with Yahiko, Sano's intellectual age shrank from 25 to 5. "Ma ma, this is not the issue here." The both of them looked at him with a glare.

"Yes Kenshin it isn't the issue. The main issue is what are you going to do with Kaoru-chan."

The deep voice caused him to make him want to groan. But he managed to contain it and turn to the latest person to intrude his peace. Kenshin turned to the door and gave the new person a smile. "There is nothing that I can do."

Aoshi shook his head as he headed to the table and poured two glasses of brandy. He headed over and sat opposite Kenshin and placed a glass across the table. "Drink it."

Kenshin shrugged, not moving to take the glass in front of him. "There is nothing much I can do. All I want to enjoy this week."

"Coward."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward and stared at Aoshi. "Who are you to call me a coward?"

"A guy who has risked for love."

"Ah crap!" Kenshin cursed as he reached for the glass and drained the whole glass in a gulp. Of all people, he knew that Aoshi was the best person to lecture him. After all, he had watched the relationship between Aoshi and Misao unfold. Despite the fact that he played a small role in making it happen, he had to give credit for the both of them to make things work after marriage.

After all, marriage requires the effort of two people. It was obvious that Aoshi and Misao were working hard to make it work. But it doesn't give Aoshi the right to lecture him.

"Look Kenshin, I know it is tough. But unless you don't wish to close a chapter of this life, you can't continue to drag this issue any longer. With this hanging in the open, it serves no closure for the both of you and it causes a great amount of hurt for the both of you." Aoshi paused, letting the words sink in. "I suggest that you listen to what your shrink advice and see how things go."

Before any of them could speak, the door opened. "This is the study room. Or that is what Aoshi calls it. It serves the function of a library. You will be impressed by the collection that they have. I couldn't believe my eyes." Misao walked into the room, causing four pairs of eyes focusing on Misao and the guest.

"Well well…" Sano muttered under his breath.

Kenshin frowned as he watched Kaoru unknowingly walking into a lion's den. Judging by the way Sano and Yahiko stared at her, they weren't exactly please to see her.

Only Aoshi reacted by standing up and headed over to Misao. He signed to her- causing her to smile for a while before she studied Kenshin. "Hi Aoshi. I was just bringing Kaoru around the house."

Kenshin watched as the couple engaged in a flurry exchange of hand signals before Misao sighed and turned to Kaoru. "Sorry, I forgot something for a while. Sano, Yahiko, come and help me."

Kenshin rose, wanting to leave the study room when Misao stopped him. "You could help me bring her around the house." She said with a smile- a smile that Kenshin can't turn away despite knowing that it would give him nothing but trouble.

"I guess."

Misao grinned as she hooked her arm around Aoshi. "Come on, I need three strong guys."

"No.." Sano said before trailing off. "Right…" He grumbled as he left the room together with Yahiko under the watchful eyes of Aoshi.

When everyone exited the room, Aoshi turned to Kenshin and nodded. "Gambette."

The sound of the door closing echoed through the room, leaving Kenshin and Kaoru alone. The both of them stared at each other for a while before Kaoru shrugged and headed to the window.

"Nice view." Kaoru said as she looked out of the window, and contented to remain in that position. Kenshin bit back a curse before mustering whatever courage he had.

"Kaoru-dono."

"Yes."

For hours which seemed like days to Kenshin, he wondered what would Kaoru be like. Never did he expect a calm, collected lady standing with her back facing him, determined not to spare a glance at him.

"How have you been?" Empty talk. He chided himself. Did he have to resort to such tactics in order to help her relax and get to the point. It seems like it as he watched Kaoru turned her back towards him and faced the view.

"I'm fine. You have a great house here. The view overlooking the garden is fantastic."

"How many more days are you staying here?"

Kaoru turned and for the first time, she had a genunine grin on her face. "A week. Misao-chan wanted me to stay longer. We have a lot to catch up. A two years is a long time."

Kenshin nodded, hating himself for what he is going to say next, for it would diminish the smile that he waited so long for. "Yes, it is a long time Kaoru-dono." He paused for a moment. "Look i was thinking. Could I like... every day for the next one week, perhaps during the evening do something with you together?"

The smile disappeared. "What ever for?" Kaoru said before shaking her head. "You don't need to do this you know. It's fine. Totally fine."

Was Kaoru thinking of the same line as he is? If so, he knew that there would be a hard battle to be fought. "Two years ago we parted on bad terms. I don't know about you, but I couldn't let it slide. My psychiatrist thought it would be good for me to get it settled for once and for all."

"So you are trying to do what your doctor recommended? If that is the case, then I'm fine. I won't want you to put the blame on me when you can't get well." Kaoru said as she headed towards the door. "Tell me the timing and we can get session one going tonight."

Damn it! Kenshin cursed as he grabbed her hand as she walked past him. "No, I am doing it because i want to. It makes perfect sense. I don't need the doctor to tell me what to do." When he felt her trying to pull her hand away, he tightened his hold. "Look Kaoru-dono. What i want to do is for both you and me."

"You and me? Since when was I involved in this?" Kaoru looked at him, with ridicule.

"Since the day you walked into my life in the orphanage!" Kenshin shouted.

An uneasy silence settled between them. Kenshin let her go and went to the window that overlooked the garden. He waited for the sound of the opening and closing of the door but there was none. "I need to have a closure for this. It hurts to know that I hurt you. I know it seems silly that I am trying to redeem myself after making such a horrendous mistake. But hear me out."

He waited once more to see whether Kaoru would go. When he was convinced she was staying till the end, he continued. "The last time we honestly knew each other was more than 10 years ago, when I left the orphanage, leaving you alone. Who knows whether we would share the same feelings with each other 10 years later. So why not we just go out for a week, to know each other better. If at the end, we are ill-suited, we could just part as friends and that's the end of it."

"What if we realised that what we shared hasn't changed?"

Kenshin turned to see Kaoru standing near the door, studying him closely. "I don't know. Kaoru-dono. But could we just try?"

Silence engulfed them once more. Kenshin just looked out of the window, eyeing on the sparrows that were wandering around the lawn. He didn't know what he would do if she refused. To some extent, his entire sanity lies in the answer that she was going to give. Please give me a chance, please.

"Okay."

Kenshin let out a breath that he didn't know he held on. "Thanks. Seven tonight?" He said without facing her.

He heard the door open. "Yeah."

"See you then."

When he heard the door close, Kenshin collapsed on the chair as a tear rolled down his face.


	9. Confrontation

Kaoru stayed in Mystic bookshop for the whole afternoon, dividing her time between the customers, Soujiro and the baby twins- that is when Misao was taking care of the customers.

It was strange, for the second day in Tokyo, to be roped in by Misao to help her run the shop. She claimed that Aoshi would not allow her out unless she brought Kaoru along. Judging by the earnest look on Misao face, Kaoru did not want to disappoint her, thus agreeing to help out.

Frankly, it was a good excuse for her to get out of the house. Kaoru was not sure whether Kenshin was at home. She saw all his brothers during breakfast and recalled their faces. Aoshi's indifference, Sano's glare and the younger man's curious look.

She returned Aoshi's attitude with her own version of nonchalant, a stuck up chin in response to the glare. However she was unsure how to handle the curiosity. Perhaps she never met him before, hence causing her to be unsure how to deal with him.

She felt a tap on her right shoulder. Kaoru turned and saw Soujiro watching her, closely. 'Are you okay?' He signed.

Kaoru smiled. 'Yeah.'

Soujiro shook his head. 'Your smile never reaches your eyes.'

Perceptive guy. Kaoru thought. He was one of the few that she kept in contact with after the move to Taiwan. She never knew why she felt comfortable around Soujiro. Somehow, the calmness that he possessed was something that she had been searching all of her life.

At a point of time, she wondered what if she had loved him instead of Kenshin. But the very thought of it caused her to cringe. To her, Soujiro was a brother… Anything else would be just weird.

'I was just thinking about this morning?'

She watched a frown appearing on Soujiro's face and gave him time to think through what he wanted to ask. Knowing him, he was trying to phrase it in a more diplomatic manner.

'Is everything alright with you there? Misao is taking care of you right?'

Kaoru laughed. 'Yeah, she is. Don't fret. She makes sure that I am occupied all the time.'

Soujiro nodded. 'Good. I don't think you should be given time to think.'

That sentence itself prompted a frown from Kaoru. 'Why not?'

'Because you will start fretting over Kenshin-san.'

Kaoru tilted her head and studied him. 'Big deal.'

Soujiro shrugged. 'Yes, it is a big deal alright. I see black eye-rings. You haven't been sleeping aren't you?'

Before Kaoru could deny it, Misao interrupted them by stepping between the both of them. 'Hey, Soujiro, you are not suppose to be interrogating her.'

The man shrugged. 'Just asking how she is. You are not taking care of her.' From his expression, Kaoru knew that it was an accusation rather than a statement.

Misao laughed and brushed it aside. 'You worry too much Soujiro.' She signed before turning her attention to Kaoru. "So, could you get lunch for us?"

Kaoru grinned. "Why not, what do you want?"

"Sushi." She said before turning to Soujiro. "What do you want?'

Soujiro shook his head. 'Let me get it. What do you want Kaoru?'

'Sushi for the two of us.'

'Okay, sushi set for three.' Soujiro signed before heading to the back of the cashier where he hung his dark blue trench coat. 'Miss me.' He winked before heading out of the door.

Kaoru couldn't help but smile at his last comment. That is what Soujiro is about, a good friend who guarantees to put a smile on your face when one was down.

"It has been the first time in days you had a smile on that face." Misao said placed both her hands on Kaoru's shoulder and pushed her towards the reading corner situated at the end of the shop which was visible from the main entrance. "Now you are going to sit down and tell me what you and Kenshin are going to do for the rest of your stay."

Kaoru tensed up even as she was pushed into an armchair and soon enough, with Misao staring straight into her face. "Now you don't freeze up on me. You can run but you can't hide."

"It's none of your business." Kaoru snapped.

Misao made a tsking sound. "Kaoru, for a teacher, you are extremely dense. Don't you see what you guys need? A closure for this whole damn fiasco!"

Kaoru counted 1, 2 before losing her cool. "Damn it!" She cursed as she slammed her hands on the table. "First Aoshi, then Sano-san. Now you? And I thought you are my friend."

Misao sighed. "I am your friend. But there is no point skating through the issue. You should seize this opportunity to settle things once and for all."

"What if I don't want to settle it? What if I want to leave it just the way it is?" Kaoru said and watched Misao's eyes narrowed.

Before she could react, Misao reached over and smacked her head. "What the hell? Why do you want to do it? Everyone with vision could see that both of you are miserable!"

Kaoru sunk into her chair and sighed. "Promise me you won't lose your temper if I explain it."

Misao nodded and she sat down with, what Kaoru recognized as a stubborn look on her face. Taking in a deep breath, she started.

"Finding Kenshin in this shop was a dream come true. I loved him when I was young. Worshiped the very path he walked. Of course, back then I think he thought of it as something a younger sister would do around her older brother. When he left the orphanage, I was crushed. When I left it, I was hysterical. Kenshin would not be able to find me if I ever left that place.

As I grew up, I wondered who Kenshin would grow up into. Would he be the gentle sweet mannered man who never hesitates to offer a smile to strangers and help those in need? You know, I imagined him as a lawyer or a teacher. Since I wasn't that smart to be a lawyer, I became a teacher, wanting to do what Kenshin would have most probably done.

Soon teaching became less about Kenshin and more about my passion. At the end, I chose to teach in Tokyo, remembering that he told me he was moving there. And I hoped and prayed that fate would give me a chance to meet him again."

Kaoru took in a deep breath and she tried to keep her emotions at bay as she continued the story. "I met him, was drawn to him once again. He is charming and sweet and everything that I thought of him to be. And I thought that the 8 years apart would fade away.

Then I realized that he was living his own life, engaged to a colleague of mine and then catered to my wimps and dreams when I popped into his life. I felt so foolish and naïve. After all, who can remember a small little girl in the orphanage when he has the world at his feet. He is one of the CEOs of the most successful business group in Japan. A school teacher has no role in it."

"Kaoru, this is stupid." Misao started, only to stop when Kaoru gave her an icy glare.

"You want to know why I don't want to face up to the future. This is why. There is no future. I don't need to be reminded by my own inferiority around Kenshin. I could have killed in that accident. I ran to Taiwan, where my foster parents decided to spend their golden years. I picked up Mandarin easily and started teaching there. My life was great. Once in a while, sadness would assault me as I think back of the lost love. But at least a routine is formed. Until Aoshi decided to meddle!" Kaoru stared at her accusingly.

"Aoshi was trying to help Kenshin…" She trailed off, hesitating for a while which Kaoru pounced on immediately.

"Precisely. They are so preoccupied in trying to help Kenshin that they failed to realise that I am a human too, capable of human emotions. Inferiority is the worst to experience. And each and every one of you are making me feel it. And I am not going to put up with it anymore!" Kaoru declared as she stood up and turned away from Misao, only to see Kenshin standing in front of her, his eyes on her. How much did he hear? The knowing look in his eyes gave her the answer.

"It's rude to eavesdrop over someone's conversation." Kaoru started icily only to have Kenshin shaking his head.

"I'm sorry."

Kaoru stiffened. "No point. There is no use. You didn't choose to be a prominent figure in Japan. You couldn't possibly stop your life just to wait for me."

"If I told you I learnt my lessons and would wait until you come back, would you forgive me?"

Kaoru laughed in disbelief. "There is no need to punish yourself and lay the guilt at my door. You are free to do what you want. I should not have agreed to your one week plan. It would accomplish nothing." She said as she walked past him, only to be stopped by his fingers that caught hold of her wrist.

"If I told you again that I meant the words I said two years ago, would you give me a second chance?"

Kaoru paused. The words echoed through her mind clearly.

'_I love you enough to spend my life with you. I searched for you for seven years wondering whether you were married to a handsome man with children running around the lawn. I thought you forgotten about me."_

"Kenshin, we know that what you said were empty words. You are engaged to Tomoe"

"Was."

"Past, present or future, it doesn't matter. But the point is that you don't have to give me empty words to make me fall in love with you again."

"Please give me a chance."

"No."

"Not even one? Kaoru-dono."

The quiet finality in his voice scared her a little. Kaoru studied him for a while. The downcast look on his face, the slump of his shoulders scared her. Was this the confident Kenshin she seen two years ago? What prompted the change? Was it the guilt that ate him up until he was suffering?

The logical side of her demanded her to forget about him, go to the airport and go back to Taiwan.

However the woman who loved, and perhaps still love the broken man in front of her made her reach out and place her hand on his arm. "Alright. You have 5 days to convince me."

He looked up, and for the first time since she met him, he smiled as he placed his hand over hers. "Thank you."

The touch unsettled her a little, causing her to return the smile before quickly removing her hand. Fortunately for her, Kenshin let go of it. She turned to Misao and saw the worried look on her face. She could only follow Kenshin's side of the conversation. It must have unsettled her a little.

She gave the younger lady a smile. 'Don't fret, everything will be fine. Sorry for losing my temper like that.'

'Don't worry.' Misao signed back. 'If I put myself in your shoes, perhaps I would have been frustrated as well.'

The two of them exchanged smiles before Kaoru heard the shop door opened. Misao's eyes brightened up further and exclaimed. "Here comes our lunch!"

Kaoru was glad that lunch came, after all, she didn't want to continue her conversation with Kenshin. However, when her eyes met Soujiro, she recognized wariness, sadness and a touch of anger in his eyes.

Big trouble.

'Let's eat.' Kaoru signed to Soujiro.

'Come on!' Misao urged Soujiro before the younger man headed to the table. When he placed the sushi down, he turned to Kenshin and studied him for a while before heading to the shelves which the mangas were shelved.

He returned with a few books and thrust it to Kaoru. 'Here are the ones that you wanted.'

Kaoru turned and looked at the cover and smiled. 'Yeah, but you could give it to me later.'

Soujiro shook his head as he sat down and started opening the covers of the trays that contained the sushi. For Kaoru, it looks so appetizing that she wanted to dig in immediately.

"What is the story about?"

Kaoru looked at Kenshin, surprised that he would ask. "Ai Yazawa's work- Nana. Are you familiar with her works?"

Kenshin shook his head. "I don't read mangas. I prefer novels."

"Novels are good. But some mangas have really solid and realistic plotline." Kaoru said as she studied the cover of the manga. "Like this one. It basically talk about two girls named Nana. One of them, fondly known as Hachi foolishly went to Tokyo to follow her boyfriend who was studying there. The other Nana was seeking a musical career. Somehow the both of them met each other on the train that was heading to Tokyo and the story progressed from there."

From the corner of her eyes, she saw skepticism race across his face and she couldn't help but smile. "The story not only focuses on friendship between the two girls but also on the dreams they had. They seem very different, but the both of them just want to be loved. Even in the middle when they started drifting apart, it was very obvious they cared for each other and the men that are in their lives. The band- BLAST have three very interesting men. But my favourite is the youngest band member- Shin."

Kaoru smiled at the thought of her favourite character. However the feeling was dampened by a twinge of sadness.

"Shin is a young boy-15 years old but he is a neglected child. When he entered the music business together with BLAST, he was merely a replacement for Nana's boyfriend who joined another band-Trapnest which had musical success. He moonlights as a male prostitute. However one of his clients was the lead singer of Trapnest and somehow the both of them carefully but unavoidably fell in love with each other and really depended on each other emotionally."

Kaoru looked at Kenshin. "It seems quite vulgar initially. However, it became so beautiful during the story. While you watch the two Nanas' relationship fall apart, with betrayals, neglect and misunderstanding, the relationship between Shin and the singer blossoms. It was like a small ray of light that shone through the clouds that turned the sky dark."

Kaoru stopped, feeling a little foolish. She didn't know what prompted her to spill everything out. However, deep inside she wondered whether in this dark spell in their relationship, would there be a ray of hope that would shine through and chase the dark clouds away. Or would they be as destructive as the foolish Nanas.

"The ray of love, in the midst of confusion and hurt- that what attracts me to the story and keep me intrigued till now." Kaoru shrugged. "Ai Yazawa is quite a genius, isn't she?"

Silence lapsed between the both of them. Kaoru was unaware that Misao and Soujiro had left them alone but she didn't care. All that matters was what Kenshin thought.

"Yeah, I guess." He replied.

* * *

Thanks for tuning in once again. I was a little busy with some stuff and suffering as usual from writer's block. But don't worry, i have decided how the story would go about, I just have to figure out how to go about writing it.

The manga that Kaoru was refering to is NANA by Ai Yazawa. (Start promoting..) She publishes very realistic and heart warming story. But warning, judging by the two of her books- Paradise Kiss and Kagen no Tsuki (下弦の月, _Last Quarter of the Moon)_ they do have very sad endings. I just hope that NANA won't be as bittersweet as those two.

Do continue following the story. It should last for another five to six chapter before it will end. So hope you will patiently wait along with me as i slowly watch the story unreveil.

Until then, God Bless

Joyful-x


	10. Meeting Ultimatum

Kenshin glanced to the passenger seat as he changed gear. What was he going to expect from this outing? He wasn't sure. But he knew that everything between them had changed after the chat, or rather argument that they had. To him, she had shared something intimate with him that gave him a glimpse of what she wanted. Or what he assumed she wanted.

It was tough, a huge challenge to get her to love him. From what Misao and Tomoe shared regarding her, it only made him love her again. It sounded so superficial, like a fairytale- unrealistic and nonsensical. But he has no way of justifying that he truly felt that way.

If he can't even logically explain how he felt, how could the lady beside him figure it out?

Hence he had to start working hard to win back Kaoru's heart. If not by the end of the week, he will lose her for good and he would definitely die.

He smirked at that thought. Here I go again, dramatizing the situation. He might end up with a broken heart and spirit, but he won't be able to die physically.

Pity. He thought as his mind recalled scene in the morning when Misao decided to give them opportunities to get the both of them together. If Kaoru hasn't changed, she would be getting annoyed by the insistent interference. But it worked to his advantage.

It allowed him to take Kaoru out shopping. Shopping does not interest Kenshin. But to go out with Kaoru would give him a first hand glimpse of Kaoru's taste, and even personality by what she shops for.

But how was he going to start a conversation with her? He tried. Twice in fact, and the attempt failed. How was he going to continue being with her with the awful silence looming over his head, each minute lost, without hope to go back and use it to beg and plead to give her a chance.

A groveling bastard he has become. And he would do it all over again if it means that Kaoru would forgive him.

After all, if the character Shin and the singer can overcome all obstacles to love each other, why can't he? He had to hope that he could achieve a miracle.

When he reached the shopping centre, he headed underground to park his car. Kaoru was still sitting beside him, her head averted away from him, staring at the surroundings. It was only until he found a parking space and turned off the engine when she turned and looked at him. "You know, I didn't expect you to be tagging along with me while I shop."

Kenshin shook his head. "No worries. You could use me to hold onto your shopping bags, ask for fashion tips and perhaps even a walking credit card."

That earned a smile from Kaoru. "Thanks. But if you are bored, you could just leave me here and go our separate ways."

Kenshin smiled, knowing that she was just trying to get rid of him. "I would let you know. For now, just accept my offer. After all, if you are like Misao, you might need a helping hand in holding all your purchases."

Kaoru gave him a bored look. "Hey, I am not as bad as her alright?" She said before she got out of the car.

Kenshin got out of the car and stared at her. "How would you know how she shops?"

Kaoru shrugged. "She whines to me how Aoshi would scold her for her impulsive shopping. And I have to say, it is frightening to hear how she goes about shopping."

Kenshin recalled the mountain of paper bags that Aoshi would bring back each time he goes out shopping with Misao and shuddered. "Don't remind me!"

That caused Kaoru to laugh. To him, it was music to his ears, something that he had not heard for a long time. "It's good to hear you laugh." He said softly as Kaoru blushed and turned away from him, heading towards the shopping centre lobby. Sighing, Kenshin followed behind her, wondering how to melt the walls down.

To say that Misao was an impulsive buyer was an understatement. However, he observed that she might have met her match- Kaoru is equally impulsive. She doesn't have the energy and the speed like Misao to zip in and out of the shop. She approaches the shop and combs the shop carefully before deciding on a purchase. Out of ten shops they walked into, she purchased from eight of them.

It was two hours later when they stopped for lunch. For Kenshin, he was slightly relieved. However, he was glad that he tagged along. If not, who on earth would carry the shopping bags that were placed on the two chairs beside them. They remind them of Mount Everest- tall, daunting and unbelievable.

"You seem intimidated."

Kenshin looked at Kaoru and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I wouldn't know how to manage that many shopping bags by myself."

Kaoru shrugged. "I could have handled it by myself."

"True. But an extra hand didn't hurt right?" Kenshin asked.

With a frown, Kaoru nodded grudgingly before turning her attention towards the menu. For a while, both of them didn't speak, giving the menu their full concentration.

"So? What do you have in mind?" Kenshin asked after a while.

"Spaghetti Bolognese."

Kenshin nodded as he signaled for the waiter. After giving their orders, Kenshin looked at Kaoru, wondering how to start the topic.

"Kaoru."

"Kenshin."

The both of them stared at each other. "You go first." Kaoru said.

"You can start first." Kenshin replied, wanting to hear what she had to say before he voice out his thoughts.

Kaoru looked at him, as though she was going to argue back. However she changed her mind and started. "You know, Kenshin. I thought about things. And despite the fact I promised you five days, I don't think I could give you that."

Everything he wanted to say flew out of the window. Kenshin could just stare at Kaoru, shell-shocked by what she said. "You mean you refuse to give me a chance?"

He watched Kaoru frowned. "If you wish to put it that way, then yes, I refuse to give you a chance that I can't give. It's impossible for total strangers to fall in love with each other in five days."

"We are not total strangers." Kenshin protested as he placed his hands on the table, trying to prevent the desperation from taking control of his mind. Once it does, he might beg, pled or even start behaving like a madman. And he cannot allow that to happen.

"We were strangers for years. We only knew each other from our childhood days. And I am no longer the little Kaoru who would follow you around like a baby sister. And you are no longer the Kenshin I look up to like a big brother. People change with time and you of all people know that."

Kenshin took in a deep breath. "Yes, people change through time. But the essence of the person won't change. I don't want the little girl who looked at me with trusting and adoring eyes. I want the woman in front of me to look at me with love and respect and to be my equal. I am not asking for a perfect lady. I am not asking for marriage. I am just asking for 5 days to know each other better."

"I cannot give you that five days because I can't forget what you did two years ago!"

A tensed silence followed, as the waiter served the food. Even after the waiter discreetly moved away, the both of them did not speak.

"So?" Kaoru asked softly.

Kenshin frowned as he looked down, watching his fists clenched up. He would never explain what he had to do. It was to protect Tomoe more than him. Perhaps it was an issue about pride. However, that day in the hospital room, he made a promise with Tomoe not to explain to anyone why they broke the engagement. But never did he expect this issue to be the one preventing Kaoru from trusting him again.

How could he not explain himself, after all he owed Kaoru an explanation?

But how could he betray Tomoe's trust, after all she went through?

He slowly unclenched his fist He looked at Kaoru and asked. "Is it too much to ask you to trust me again?"

Kaoru gave him a look. "The last time I trusted you, I was unknowingly poaching a friend's fiancé. If I trust you now, perhaps I would unknowingly become a mistress." She said sarcastically.

"Don't say that." Kenshin said softly as he tried to control his temper. It was a low blow. But he knew Kaoru had the right to say all of it. And he could do nothing, nothing to ease that pain away.

Kaoru was silent for a while, causing him to wonder what she was thinking. After the discussion yesterday, he thought he would have 5 days to convince Kaoru that a relationship between them could be worked out. Now, with Kaoru's sudden u-turn in her decision brought a sickly feeling in his heart. If he truly lost that chance...

"Sorry. Kenshin. It's just that. In my heart, I would really want to give you a chance. However, in my mind, it tells me that it can never work out."

Kenshin took in a deep breath. "Why not trust your heart?"

"Because the heart is too fragile and naïve to know better than to risk it all over again."

Kenshin bit his tongue. He didn't know what to say after that. It was useless to tell her to listen to her heart unless he explained to her about Tomoe-which was impossible. But he couldn't give up. With a last ditch attempt, he asked Kaoru. "What happened to the singer and Shin in NANA? Did their love last?"

That brought a sad smile to Kaoru. "Funny that you mentioned about it. But just to let you know, the both of them couldn't last. Against all odds, fame and age difference prevented them from being together. It's a pity. I really love that pairing." She shrugged. "I guess it is a foolish idea of having a ray of hope in relationships and love."

Kenshin's heart sank. The darkness that was held at bay by the hope that he nursed for years threatened to close in. He truly could not imagine not having Kaoru as a friend, or as a partner. To part as distant acquaintances would certainly not be good for his mental well-being. But if miracles do not occur in stories, could it occur in real life? Highly unlikely.

Kaoru sighed. "Kenshin. Is it truly possible that the both of us were not meant to be?"

"If so, give me five days to figure it out."

Kaoru shook her head. "I don't think my heart can take it."

Kenshin closed his eyes. "By denying a chance, you think my heart can deal with it?"

"We have to."

The finality of the words scared him. But what she said was true. If she decided not to do it, he had to love her enough to let her go. Even if it might take longer for him to recover from his depression, he would do it.

"Okay." Kenshin relented as he looked straight into her eyes. "I won't hold you to the agreement we made yesterday."

He saw her shoulders relaxed and a smile flirted on her face. "Thanks."

"No problem." Kenshin said as he started eating his food, trying to figure out how to cope with the fact that he lost Kaoru.

Despite the remainding time together, the mood had changed. For Kenshin, he spent the time trying to figure out what to do next. With Kaoru's firm rejection, he had to move on. It was daunting and in fact so scary, he had to move on. If it was not for himself, it would be for Aoshi, Misao, Sano and Yahiko.

His resolution- to take a day at a time.

When they reached home, he wasn't sure who was more relieve- Kaoru or himself. The moment they stepped into the house, they met Misao and the change in Kaoru was obvious. With a big smile, she started communicating with Misao in sign language, leaving Kenshin in the dark. With a resigned heart, he headed towards the living room.

He prayed time would heal the wounds that he had.

He saw Yahiko seated on the sofa with a wary look on his face. "What's with the face?"

The younger man pursed his lips before shrugging. "We have a guest."

"Who?" Kenshin asked, wondering why Yahiko would be so bothered by the presence of the guest.

"Tomoe-chan."

Kenshin looked at Yahiko. "Say again?"

"Tomoe-chan is here. And she wants to see Kaoru-chan."

Kenshin turned away and headed out of the room, intending to prevent the meeting when Misao stood at the entrance of the room. "Kaoru-dono…"

"She is with Tomoe-chan."

Kenshin's heart sank. Tomoe was the reason why Kaoru refuse to give him a chance. But yet, it was not either of the ladies' fault that caused this big misunderstanding. If he had his way, he would rather just face the punishment of his errors instead of hurting them any further. If he only knew earlier and moved faster, he might have intervened. "Why?"

Misao placed her hand at her hip. "Why not?"

He frowned. "Kaoru-dono doesn't think well of Tomoe."

Misao glared at him. "And who can we thank for?"

"The matter has been settled. Kaoru-dono has decided to move on. There is no need to involve Tomoe any further." Kenshin said in a controlled voice, not wanting his temper to show.

"Don't try to be a martyr. They make good headlines but lousy people." Misao said as she poked a finger at his chest. "The reason why none of this has been settled is because the three of you never sat down together and trashed it out. I wanted you to join them but Aoshi advised me against the move. And I'm glad that I listened."

"And why is that so?"

Misao opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted.

"Because you would protect Tomoe and make sure that you shoulder all the blame. And it would defeat the whole purpose of the meeting."

Kenshin turned his head towards Yahiko and glared.

"It's true dork head. You won't let the both of them say what they sincerely feel. Without you, they can bitch and fight it out without worrying that you would be caught in the crossfire." Misao carried on.

Kenshin took in two deep breaths as he reined his temper in. "I think I will just rest in my room for a while. Knock on my door when dinner is served."

With that, Kenshin left, praying that Tomoe and Kaoru would not be hurt anymore.

He just wants to end it for once and for all… even if it means that he has to disappear.

He just wants it to end.

* * *

Okay. I am truly sorry for not updating.

Frankly, I have figured out the ending but i couldn't muster the inspiration to fully develop the story any further. However since this story has been floating around without a concrete ending, I would just finish it up and close this story.

Personally I am not really happy with the way i wrote this story, from the thousand and one grammatical errors, the lack of depth for Kenshin, Tomoe and Kaoru, the fairytale-ness of the story and the way the story was narrated. If i ever have the time and energy, I would want to rewrite it again. However I don't see it happening anytime soon.

So brace yourself for a quick run through the last two chapter which includes a epilogue. I am wondering though, how many of you would want a sad ending? Or you would prefer a happy ending for Kenshin and Kaoru? I just want to hear what you all have to say.

Until then, take care and God Bless

Joyful-x


	11. Promise fulfilled?

Kaoru took a deep breath as she paused outside the library. She didn't expect Tomoe to be in the same house as her. But when Misao told her that Tomoe wanted to see her, she agreed to the meeting. 

It always bothered her why Kenshin broke the engagement with her. As far as her memory was concerned, Tomoe fit into whatever Kenshin needed as a wife- proper lady with polite manners and the charisma that would help assist her husband if he needed to climb the ranks, or if he is a company president.

She, on the other hand, would be stifled by the expectations and the norms of a high ranking official wife. It doesn't matter that Kenshin was just running a company. To her, it is like running a country- where hundreds or thousands of employees depended on Kenshin for survival and stability.

She can't cope with it. But that doesn't mean that she could let Kenshin get away with those empty promises that he gave to her two years ago. And if she can't get the answers from him, there was always another person who she could ask.

Kaoru opened the door and saw Tomoe seated on the sofa with a strain smile on her face. "Kaoru-chan."

The years were kind to Tomoe. Kaoru didn't see any signs of stress or strain on her face. But she could sense the tension that was radiating out of Tomoe. "It's been a long time."

Tomoe nodded. "Yes, you left so suddenly that we didn't have a chance to talk."

Kaoru pursed her lips as she wondered what was it that Tomoe seemed so eager to talk. To her, it was clear cut. Tomoe was engaged to Kenshin and she unwittingly intruded into the relationship, no thanks to Kenshin. The thought of it made her angry but she kept it within her as she headed to the chair next to Tomoe and sat down. "I had to. Circumstances prevented me from staying otherwise."

Tomoe studied Kaoru and sighed as she leaned back against the sofa. "I wanted to tell you. But I wanted to surprise the both of you. You kept worming your way out of the various meetings I set up for the both of you to meet up."

Kaoru raised her eyebrow. "What do you mean? You purposely wanted me to meet your fiancé."

Tomoe nodded. "Yes, you are suppose to meet my fiancé who is in love with you, or at least the idea of you."

Kaoru tensed up. Was she interpreting what Tomoe said correctly? "So in other words, you knew that your fiancé is in love with someone else. And that someone else was me."

Tomoe nodded as she stood up and started pacing. "I knew all the while, even when I proposed to Kenshin, that he is in love with someone. But I only knew her face, never her name. When I first saw you, I saw the resemblance. However, I had my doubt, wondering whether you were the little girl that Kenshin talked often. The girl in the picture that Kenshin had was barely 8 years old."

She glanced at Kaoru. "Face features changes with time. So I was wary. But when I started knowing you better, I could see some characteristics that you shared with Kenshin's girl. But so can a thousand other girls as well. It was only when you started opening up to me and shared with me stories regarding the boy in the orphanage that confirmed my suspicion that you were the girl that Kenshin loved. By then, my wedding was indeed two months away. I tried to get the both of you together. But you always evaded the meeting."

Kaoru interrupted Tomoe. "Why don't you just tell Kenshin that you found me?"

Tomoe frowned. "I regretted not doing that. Perhaps it was pride. Or maybe I just wanted to be there when the both of you see each other and I would have this satisfaction that I brought two people that I loved dearly together."

Tomoe looked at her. "You know. Kenshin is somewhat a perfect guy with flaws. I know it sounds contradicting. I couldn't believe I fell for Kenshin's flaws and the vulnerability before knowing his strength."

"Liar is one of them." Kaoru added rather cruelly. That earned a stare from Tomoe.

"Misjudged notion of himself would be a better word." Tomoe corrected before she sat in front of Kaoru and asked. "Do you ever wonder why the family is so protective over him? Misao told me that they went through great lengths to get you here and reconcile with him. But do you know why?"

Kaoru shrugged as she recalled Kenshin's determination not to share what exactly happened two years ago. Yet he claimed all he wanted was reconciliation. "No I don't. But I know a few things. First he cares about you enough not to say why he promised to marry me when he is engaged to you.

Second, I understand that they are family, hence if they are asked to take sides, they would side with Kenshin and not me- an outsider. So I just let them push and intervene on his behalf.

Thirdly, I find that his unwillingness to move out of the preconceive image of me as a little girl very daunting and upsetting. How can he love someone who he hasn't met for years? Kaoru stared at Tomoe, only to realise that she had said too much. "Sorry. I shouldnt' be so frank."

Tomoe shook her head. "Don't be. If I were you, I would be equally frustrated." She sighed as she smiled. "I think Kenshin kind of muddled up this time. He should have been wise enough to break the promise that he made to me to save himself. I have a story to tell."

Kaoru gave her a questioning look. "Are you going to plead on Kenshin's behalf?"

Tomoe shook her head. "No, I am just going to share what happened from my perspective and hopefully shed some light about Kenshin."

She took in a deep breath."I knew Kenshin when he was 15. Hiko-san just adopted Aoshi-san for a year. Initially I met them when my father invited Hiko-san for a company's function. They were friendly business competitors to some extent. I was 12 when I saw them and I thought they were just boys who don't belong to Hiko-san.

But as I started to know them, I got to know them better and started caring for both of them in different ways.

Aoshi was quiet and somewhat lay back. However, he had a stubborn determination and spirit that remained unbreakable till this day. Another strong point of his was his fierce sense of loyalty. He knew what he wanted in life which was to follow someone who is capable to lead. He has no inspiration to lead. Perhaps he thought he was a better follower than a leader. That is why he fell for Misao-chan. She is after all an independent lady who has the drive for something greater in life.

Kenshin on the other hand is insecure. The only thing that made him confident was when he leads. He is very good in leading a family, company or whoever is under him. I don't know what exactly caused him to think that he is only useful when he takes charge. But it is the driving force that keeps him alive.

With Aoshi-san, Sano-san and Yahiko-san joining the family, he had people to take care of, to ensure that no matter what, they settled down and bonded as a family. I think that is why Aoshi-san wa so comfortable with Kenshin and vice versa. Aoshi-san knew that no matter what happens, Kenshin would be there for him. And for Kenshin, Aoshi-san's silent support and to some extent his reliance on him motivates him to live on as a person. "

Tomoe smiled as she paused for a while. Kaoru was however unimpressed. It does not fit the picture of the Kenshin she knew. In her eyes, she saw him as a confident person who she could depend on when they were young. However that image started fading as she started knowing the adult version of Kenshin. The Kenshin she knew now doesn't seem to match the boy that she knew.

"I don't know why. But when I realise how vulnerable Kenshin is, I started loving him. Despite the fact that Hiko-san was grooming him to be his successor and the confidence that he seems to exuberate, the fact that he is dependent on people who follows him made me determined to be one of his followers.

He sounds spoilt doesn't he? After all, Kenshin has the support and devotion from the people closest to him. But it was draining on him. He wanted to prove to one person that he could still lead and take care of her. It seems unreasonable and borderline insane. But I think that he undervalues himself as an individual, it saddens me. Hence when we reached a marriageable age, I propose to be his fiancé for life."

Kaoru blinked at the last statement. "You mean you have no intention to marry him?"

"How could I, if I know that his heart belongs to you?" Tomoe smiled sadly. "I could give everything to him. Because I know what it is like to feel insignificant in life. I truly needed him emotionally and he knew that, so he was willing to go to the extent of carrying out the marriage even when our initial agreement was not to get married."

Tomoe shrugged. "I am not going to say that Kenshin's view about himself is right. In fact, it was only when Misao joined the family did we get a psychiatrist to treat him. Your disappearance triggered off his depression. Maybe I should be grateful to you for letting us realise that he needed emotional help. He is not mad. I would say he suffers from very low self confidence."

Kaoru frowned, unsure what to say next. "I never knew."

Tomoe nodded. "When you first met him, you were too young to understand. Right now, you just see him as an egoistic man who thinks that the world evolves around him instead of him trying to fit into the world. To some extent, he needed to feel important if not he doesn't know why he is alive."

"I don't think I can cope with the emotional burden that he is carrying." Kaoru started, only to be interrupted by Tomoe.

"You don't need to. As soon as he knows that he is accepted, he would be fine. Frankly, I don't think that he understands his dependency on others. He just sees it as a misled notion of chivalry." Tomoe said. "Unless you know him well, you would never know that he is so emotionally dependent on others."

Kaoru leaned towards Tomoe and decided to just sum it out. "So what you are saying is that Kenshin truly loves the idea of people depending on him just because it means that he exist for a reason?"

Tomoe nodded once again. "You are right. But I don't believe that his feelings for you are based on just that. You were what, eight, when he left you. He didn't want to leave you because you knew him from the beginning. And he hoped that he had someone he could depend on for the rest of his life. It can be tiring to have the whole world depending on him. To him, you are the safe home that he can go back to because he will always remember the little girl who gave everything without conditions. And that sort of love is the purest form of love."

"You make me feel as though I have to comply." Kaoru said softly. "Why is it that no one cared what I thought of him?"

Tomoe looked at her. "We frankly don't know how you feel. To us, you seem to have erected a wall between Kenshin and the rest of the world. Hence we keep trying to put the both of you together without anyone interfering. But we didn't expect Kenshin to be so stubborn!"

"You mean he told you guy everything that happened between the both of us!" Kaoru asked, feeling as though her privacy was invaded.

"Nope." Tomoe shook her head. "It was an observation made by Misao and the rest of them. They said that there is no progress between the both of you. And we can't figure out how to make the both of you talk!"

Kaoru took in a deep breath. "We could just sit down and talk to seriously talk without barriers." She said as she recalled the chances that they could have done that. Each time they talked, she refused to let her defences down. What Tomoe shared did not justify what Kenshin did to them. However, it does help her see his point of view and gave her valuable insights into the man he was now.

"I know you would have heard this line from everyone. However could you just talk to him and really trash it out? Just give him a chance to explain himself."

"But I gave him a chance to explain himself regarding you and him. However he refused to explain." Kaoru glanced at Tomoe. "He is very protective of you."

Tomoe scoffed. "That is because he protects those who are dependent on him. To him, you are somewhat equal. Yes, you depended on him when you were young. But you know, he mentioned once or twice that he misses your laughter and smile and during the period in the orphanage, he depended on those a lot. The fact that you were able to shoulder his dependence at a young age made him feel that he could truly depend on you in his adult years."

Kaoru paused, thinking of the times they had together. Yes, there were happy times when they exchanged laughter and smiles. There were sad times when she would cry and he would try to help her. It was impossible for a love to last for so long. But at a young age, she nursed a love for him that lasted until now.

That was why his betrayal was so hard to take.

"He made empty promises. Would he do it again?"

Tomoe shrugged. "We won't know why he had to give those empty promises. We won't know whether he would do it again. However I know that he would try not to let you down again. That is why he is depressed for the last two years. The blame was not on you. He felt that he let the very person who he valued down. And that ate him until today."

Tomoe placed a hand over Kaoru's. "People say that it is good to give a second chance. It might not make things the way they were. But it would close this chapter and who knows lead to a new chapter in both of you guys life. Give him and yourself a chance to find love."

A chance to find love. Kaoru thought. The idea was appealing however it was daunting. "I told him I won't risk it again."

"Don't give up on him." Tomoe pleaded.

Kaoru recalled the period when she saw Kenshin again. The hope and joy that ran through her heart and her mind. Was she cruel to deny the both of them a chance? Would she dare to risk it again?

She could. After what Tomoe shared, she could try her best to save Kenshin from self-destruction. It was scary to hear how Kenshin seemed to blame himself for everything that happened in the world. She had no idea how to save him, but perhaps her love could be the first step.

Kaoru slowly smiled. "I won't." She said softly as tears started streaming down her face. She had to be brave. But she knew that she had an important role in Kenshin's life and she had to fulfil it.

Tomoe squeezed her hand. "Don't worry. Misao and I won't let you fight alone." She said as she rose. "Come, let's find him."

Kaoru hesitated before asking. "Tomoe, you could have him you know. You know him much longer than me and you love him."

Tomoe shook her head. "I love him but it isn't the same kind of love that you have for him. And secondly, he won't love me the way he loves you." She smiled sadly.

Kaoru squeezed her hand. "You would find someone who loves you as much as you love him."

The two of them exchanged a knowing smile. "Thanks. And may the both of you have happiness."

Kaoru rose and the both of them exited the room. Just as they were about to reach the stairs, they heard a loud wail. "Misao!" The both of them exclaimed before rushing up the stairs. They ran past each room until they saw one of the room's door opened. There they saw Misao standing next to the bed frantically shaking the person in the bed.

When Kaoru saw the person who was in it, she immediately rushed to the side. "What happened Misao?" She asked. When she realised that Misao can't hear her, she turned her attention to Kenshin. "Kenshin, wake up!" She said loudly. However it was apparent to her that with the amount of shaking and noise that Misao was making, he wasn't going to wake up.

"Tomoe! Call for an ambulance!" Kaoru said before pushing Misao to the side. She heard Aoshi's and Yahiko's voice demanding what happened but her attention was focused on Kenshin. "Kenshin baka! Wake up!" She said as she felt for a pulse. When she was unable to find one, she did CPR on him. "Wake up Kenshin! Please wake up!!" Kaoru pleaded as she did the cycle on him repeatedly.

"Kaoru-chan. Stop." She heard someone said.

Kaoru just ignored the voice and started shaking Kenshin violently. "Baka Kenshin, wake up. We need to talk! Please!!" She cried out as she was dragged away from Kenshin as people in uniform rushed into the room.

"What's wrong with him?" Another voice asked.

In the midst of the confusion, no one answered. To drastic to speak, Kaoru sank on her knees and sobbed while the paramedics transferred him to the stretcher and carried him out of the room. The brothers followed closely behind them while the ladies stayed in the room.

"Kaoru. Don't worry, he will be alright." Tomoe said softly in her ear while she kneeled next to her.

Kaoru turned to her and shook her head. "I don't think he would come back." She said as tears streamed down her face.

"He will be back." Tomoe said as she turned to Misao only to realise that the other lady was looking out of the window.

Kaoru shook her head again. "I can feel it. He won't be coming back and we will never have a chance to talk again." She said between sobs before breaking down once more, leaving Tomoe helpless, not knowing what to do but to place a comforting hand around Kaoru's shoulder.

* * *

It was close to midnight when the men came back. Kaoru knew that they were back as she heard the main door close. She rose from the living room and headed to them. "What happened to Kenshin? He didn't commit suicide right?"

Sano scoffed while Aoshi fiercely hushed him up. "No, he had Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. We never knew that he had this medical condition."

Kaoru gave him a puzzled look. "What is that?"

"It is a condition when a part of the heart suddenly thickens, causing sudden cardiac arrest. It is somewhat a silent killer. It is genetic and because Kenshin was an orphan, no one knew about his medical history. If not, he could have gotten treatment and escaped death."

Kaoru stared at them, shell-shocked by the revelation. If only she talked to him earlier and force to confront the issue that separated the both of them, the issue wouldn't be left hanging.

"Don't blame yourself, Kaoru-chan. No one was to blame." Aoshi said softly. "Kenshin wouldn't blame you either."

Kaoru nodded as fresh tears started rolling down her face. "I miss him."

The men were silent for a while before Sano replied. "I miss him too." And to Kaoru's surprise, she saw tears running down Sano's face.

* * *

Long A/N:

I had this ending planned out at the second half of this story. It was during the time that I realised like Kenshin and Kaoru that there is no such thing as a happy ending. People had to work to make things happen. However like Kenshin who seems to be like a coward and Kaoru who sees things black and white, they couldn't make it work. Hence both of them had no closure.

I'm sorry if I cheated some of you guys out of a happy ending. My main motive is to get some reader response. Another reason is to see whether people think that Kenshin deserves a lady like Kaoru. Alwyzme, a firm critic of the spineless brat I made Kenshin to be, I hope this chapter explained a little of why Kenshin behaves in a particular manner and why everyone is in cathoots. Thanks for your long long reviews because it made me see how I shaped Kenshin in a different perspective. I had to really think out a somewhat reasonable explanation why Kenshin behaved like that. And trust me, it's hard! Truly difficult!

I would like to apologise for three things. My grammer mistakes, my lack of character depth for all of them and the unfortunate people who got confused half way through my explanation during the first half of this chapter. Maybe I started being a harsh critic of myself. Like I mentioned in the previous chapter, I had no inspiration because my characters were really shallow. But I think many of you guys would rather me finish this story rather than leaving it hanging for another year, hence I ended the whole fiasco with this chapter.

Next up, the epilogue. It is for me a closing for this story and perhaps you might not see me write such stories anytime soon, partly because of school, partly because I have no more real life inspiration for my stories.

I will have my usual credit rolls after the epilogue and last chapter FAQs if any. However I don't think I can answer all of them, but I would try. I promise

Until then, take care and God Bless

Joyful-x


	12. Epilogue

Kaoru heard a soft knock as she packed her luggage. She turned, only to see the three brothers watching her closely. "May we come in?" Aoshi asked.

She nodded, abandoning her packing and faced them. After a long tiring day at the cemetery, she just wanted to pack and leave for Taiwan, away from all the memories. He watched the three men taking two steps into the room and paused, trying to gauge her mood.

"We discussed about this and we thought that perhaps that you should take this." Aoshi said softly as he extended his arms towards her, with a crimson box in his hands.

Kaoru pursed her lips. "What are they?"

Silence lapsed between them before Yahiko answered. "They were letters that Kenshin wrote after the accident. I always teased him why he never sent them out. But Kenshin never gave me a reason."

The thought of taking something that belong to Kenshin caused Kaoru to pale. "No, they belong to you guys."

Sano snorted. "Yeah, the envelopes bear your name. We can't keep it. It is totally weird for us to open letters that was not meant for us to read."

Aoshi gave him a cutting glance, effectively shutting Sano up. "Keep them. It might help you come to term with whatever you and Kenshin had failed to trash out." Aoshi said as he placed the box on the bed next to the luggage. "You could do what you want, throw away, burn it or keep it hidden. But I hope you could just read them." He allowed the words to sink in. "We shouldn't delay your packing any longer." He ended by turning away and headed out of the door.

Sano just nodded. "Sorry that we didn't know you better." He said, with a trace of sincerity before following Aoshi, leaving Yahiko and Kaoru alone. The both of them studied each other warily, unsure what to expect from the other.

Yahiko cleared his throat. "You know, I figured that you are a pretty good lady. It is tough for Kenshin to fall in love with someone else, and only a lady worth of loving from afar could drive a man to love that deeply. Like Sano, I really wished I got to know you better." Yahiko looked at the red crimson box. "And I hope you read the letters. They might contain things that you never knew about Kenshin."

With that, he left the room, leaving Kaoru alone, with a half packed luggage and the box that screamed for her attention. She hesitated for a while, put off by the colour that reminded her of blood and death before gathering her courage and opened the box.

There were stacks and stacks of letters in the box. Unsure where to start, she picked the top one and opened the envelope. Noting the date of the letter, she sat down on the floor and started reading.

'Dear Kaoru,

I guess that giving me five days was too much to ask for. But I am still glad that I spent some time with you in the bookshop and the shopping trip. However nothing could rival the time we were together in the orphanage.

Some people said that it is impossible to fall in love at the age of 12. However when I first saw you in the orphanage, it was as though I caught a glimpse of the sun. Soon, the clouds broke, allowing your joyous personality shine in my otherwise dark and gloomy life. I love you ever since.

I am not sure whether you will understand why I choose not to explain myself even after you made it as your condition in agreeing to my plans. I won't want to ask what happened between you and Tomoe because it's between both of you. But I just hope that you do not blame Tomoe for whatever happened. If the blame was to fall on someone, it would be on me and I am sorry for the pain that I caused you.

But if you have the heart to forgive, I beg for a second chance, if not my empty soul would wander around in the human shell. Because life would never be the same if you exit from my life. So please, give me a second chance.

Until then, I will wait for you.

Kenshin.'

Kaoru reached out for another letter and another. When she read all the letters, the ache in her heart was unbearable. Despite whatever happened between the both of them, she knew deep down that Kenshin truly loved her. And she had no way of confessing her feelings for him. "Baka!" Kaoru whispered as tears rolled down her face. "Baka Kenshin." She said before she buried her face in her hands, sobbing quietly.

She never heard the door opened or the soft footsteps that approached her. However she felt the warm embraces of two women- Tomoe and Misao. Crying she placed one arm on each of them and hugged them, seeking to fill the empty solitude that Kenshin left behind.

Silence That's it!

Now, for Q&A session:

Because Alwymze has been giving me long reviews, I would try my best to answer the questions that you posted in the recent one. And maybe allow the rest of the readers to see how I approached this story. smiles

Your view didn't complicate my writing process because it made me try to understand why the character behind Kenshin. Let me try to rationalize some of the points that you make.

Kaoru was cheated to some extent and I can't deny that fact. However, Kaoru was not forced. It is true that she was pressured. But she could decide not to go to Japan to see Misao. She could have ignored Aoshi's invitation and just stayed in Taiwan. She could have left Kenshin alone at the shopping trip. She could have just refused to talk to Tomoe. So to some extent, she had every chance to avoid the road people were trying to carve out for her. But she didn't.

I think Tomoe is someone that I can relate to. She loves him so much that she just wanted to see to Kenshin's happiness. Kenshin insisted with the marriage which is true. What I failed to mention that Tomoe was not actively opposing to it. She just merely avoided rejecting his suggestion.

Why? It could be because she doesn't want to make Kenshin unwanted. I would credit fate for intervening and letting Tomoe soon enough that Kaoru is the girl that Kenshin loves. If fate didn't intervene, I myself would wonder whether Tomoe would be strong enough not to marry him out of love knowing that he was marrying out of companionship. Let's just say that Kenshin saw Tomoe as someone he could depend on like family and nothing else.

It might be Tomoe's pride that prevented her from revealing the name. But hindsight is always better. If Kaoru didn't bolt on the fateful day of the accident or if Tomoe and Kenshin managed to talk to each other before Kaoru came into the restaurant, it could have ended differently and Tomoe could look back thinking that she done a good job.

Kenshin, without a doubt, had a flawed character. It can be extremely depressing to be unappreciated and feeling useless. If I had the chance to elaborate Kenshin's childhood, I might have related certain incidents in his life that made him who he is. At the age of 12, it would be quite difficult to think that she won't be there. He just wanted to save her. Sadly that stuck to him even when he is an adult. Of course, he takes his promises too seriously. But a major flaw to that argument is that if he takes his promises seriously, why didn't he take the promises that he made with Tomoe seriously? shrug

I think love is a powerful reason to be selfish. All of them did things that are selfish but motivated for a powerful force. That is why Tomoe and the rest did everything in their power to get Kaoru to give him a second chance. After all, Kenshin is their family, Kaoru isn't. It is a reality in life. And it is a reminder that such things do occur, even in fairytales.

The scariest thing about depression is that unless you look for the signs for depression, people can assume that they are fine. In the manga/anime, Kenshin looked happy and cheerful but no one could figure out the burden that he carried. And in the manga, the way he just isolated himself when he thought Kaoru died showed that Kenshin can be capable of such situations.

As a whole, I feel that Kenshin and Kaoru made decisions that they would regret for life. Kenshin is luckier because he isn't around anymore. But that doesn't mean he had a closure. As seen in this chapter, if he had been frank and honest with Kaoru, things might had ended differently between the both of them. Kaoru on the other hand might go around with plenty of 'what if' questions. I'm sure there are many things in life that people wished they ask, or they didn't say.

After watching the whole story unfold, I think it is ridiculous for both of them to be together because Kenshin had too many issues to settle while Kaoru has been hurt too many times and those things can't be explored and resolved with a short story. As I said, if I had more time, energy and inspiration, I might have taken up the challenge. But I kind of overestimated myself. As I have written it over a span of 2 years, there might be some inconsistency. However, I tried as far as possible to allow the whole story to flow.

But I enjoyed writing this. And I hope you all had a fun time.

Rolling credits.

Special thanks to.

ZeldaFitz- My first reviewer and has kindly pointed out that Edo and Tokyo were the same place. I hope you read the end of this story even though your review was more than two years old.

Aya45

Royal blueKitsune

Moonmage

Tiffany

Jasmine

Nilil

Ohagi-chan

Gabyhyatt- Kaoru is just a frightened lady who dare not gamble on Kenshin one more time. And it didn't result to a happy ending.

Anon- Whoever you are, I'm sorry I didn't make this story happier. But hope that it was a conclusive ending.

MysticMoonEmpress- I seen you reviewing my previous fanfics right? Thanks for reviewing this one too!!

envoiusDangelM

unsigned- thanks, whoever you are.

Alywzme- Thanks for the long reviews. It really made me sit and think why I shaped my characters in a particular manner. Thanks a lot for those constructive criticisms. And it was nice to see your reviews, especially during chapters that I gotten only one review- which was yours. cheers

Miniwoo- Yes, Sano is weird. But because he is so protective and loyal to Kenshin, he can't help but be stuck up towards those who has the potential to hurt him- like Kaoru.

Jasmine blossom625- Long LONG ago I must say. The story is two years old! Confession- I am truly glad that I managed to finish this story. If not I might have left you guys hanging for another 2 yrs. winkz I can understand why you felt there is a lack of closure. That is because both Kaoru and Kenshin had none. Hence the feeling is completely reasonable.

Anon chan- I hope the closure for Tomoe was alright for you. She knew what her position was in Kenshin's life and I would like to think that she accepted it.

K- I'm sorry for the inability to let Kenshin and Kaoru produce little Kenjis. Yes, the OVA is sad. But I am envious of the Kenshin and Kaoru in that show. At least they knew that they love each other and the fact that Kenshin died knowing that Kaoru loved him was sweet. In this story, I forced the both of them apart and the regret that both of them had would never be erased. Now THAT is sad. So, don't throw the lemons at me. I could provide a dustbin for your tissues though.

Jojobaby- Thanks for the encouragement. However, personally I am quite frustrated that I am very weak grammatically and horrendous in descriptive writings. Hence, I am not really satisfied with it. The worst part is gasp I don't brush up on it! It is a wrong attitude and perhaps one day (one fine day I hope) I would be able to improve. grinz

Sakura Kaoru-chan- I believed in happy endings. But I feel that it only exist in anime and TV. Even so, I am a sucker for happy endings too! high fives But maybe not in my stories. You could check out other fanfics of mine that campaigned for happy endings. (I know I am slyly implying to check out my other stories winkz)

Kich- Thanks for the well-wishes.

Raven-Haired Angel- Thanks for bringing out one of the reasons why I chose to write a sad ending. Call me a wet blanket, but I don't wish to write a happy ending story all the time. I think this story, to some extent, is realistic and something that can happen in real life. Not giving someone another chance to love and forgive. But hey, if I was Kaoru, I might be too hurt to forgive Kenshin too! Her decision to give him another chance before she realized he died was an extremely brave one and for that I salute to her!

Cheerful- Haha, my 'editor' who gives a green light to post the last chapter up. I made you read through the initial chapters as well. Thanks for the support and a review. You can check out her stories in fictionpress. Now, if I can only remember her pen-name. (Hmm..) Yes, she is shameless and loves reviews too! (Just like me).

My goodness, my credits and last thoughts is longer than my actual epilogue. Gasp But I wanted to reply some of the comments that people had made throughout the story. I am not usually this chatty during my credits. But since would most likely be my last chapter here sad violin playing echoes through the room, I am feeling extremely sentimental. Thanks for reading through the entire credits and for reading this story too!

Until then, take care, God Bless

Joyful-x


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